Working out with kids...
Wwinkel
Posts: 34
No really, under foot. For parents, what are you tactics for working out when you've got small children. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Right now my work outs are an hour long and I do them in my living room. I aim for nap time of the youngest-but that doesn't always happen these days. So then I try to include them. Is anyone else struggling with this? Please add me for support and let's share tips!!!!!!!!
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Both the YMCA and Gold's have daycare so you can drop your kids off right there and get your workout in. I'm sure some other gyms do too but these are ones I've used for this. I also include my 8 year old on many of my runs, and have since she was 5, by having her rider her razor scooter. And a good jogging stroller can be a big help. One of my other favorite pieces of kiddo equipment is my Osprey kids' pack. My 3 year old has ridden in that for many a mile.0
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I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.
Mike
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I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.
Mike
:laugh:
I signed up at the gym. The free daycare was a lifesaver this Summer (my kids are 5 now so thankfully they got to school). You have to be lucky though, I tried the YMCA when my kids were 2 and they HATED the babysitters. Plus the babysitting area was the size of a shoe box, seriously. Now I pay a bit more but it's a big room and the kids like it.
Heck now that they're in school I rarely go anymore (rather workout at home or outside, although with the snow I'm probably going to go today), but I'm still keeping my membership for school vacations...it's just so worth it.0 -
Mine is almost 2, I put him in a stroller or the playpen if it isn't naptime. He won't die. Patience is a virtue.0
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I have a 4 yr old and a 2 yr old. My main workout is on the treadmill early in the morning while they are still asleep. On weekends I turn the tv on in the bedroom (where treadmill is) and for the most part they hangout in there. I try to get a new dvd every few weeks so it keeps them glued to the tv due to my treadmill time being 1 1/2- 2 1/2 hrs long on wkends. If I do workout videos its usually the same with the bedroom tv on and they will occasionally play with toys in there room (no toys allowed in living room). Sometimes they chill out on the couch and watch me do videos. I figure for the amount of money I spent on treadmill and weights this is easier for me than looking for a sitter to watch them because the closet gym is a good half hour away and it doesn't have a daycare due to being a single parent.0
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I have a 6-year-old and a 20-month-old, and honestly, I also try to do it during nap time. But since nap time doesn't always happen, I tend to do my workouts after they go to bed and hope that everyone stays asleep. Trying to work out with the baby in the room has been disastrous, because she's all over the place and likes to pull everything out, so I'm either worrying about crashing into her or slipping on a toy. It's hard to focus on myself and my form when I'm trying to keep an eye on them as well.0
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my gym has a drop off child care for up to two hours so I utilize that on lifting days at the gym. I watch the boys (4 y.o. & 18 m.o.) when my wife wants to go for a run (about 3-4 times per week) and she watches them when I want to get out on the bike (3-4 times per week). We try to keep it to an hour or so.0
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I have a 7 year old and an almost 15 month old and it is challenging. Most nights I wait until the little one is ready for bed to go exercise. I do a video of some sort or ride my elliptical bike. I am going to start doing stuff at work on my lunch break. It is harder to do when I wait so long to do it. By evening my energy is depleted! !0
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If you are able to join the gym a lot of them have daycares. I use Goodlife and the price is reasonable.
Also, maybe try to workout after they are in bed, or after your spouse is home to watch them?
I hate to say it, but maybe plop them in front of a movie - it's not bad for them and you get a bonus too!0 -
I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.
Mike
LOL Seriously, some days that's what my work out looks like! Planking is *extra* hard around here ; ) Thanks for the great tips everyone! Gym memberships aren't in my grasp right now, but in the future they will be! Today the youngin took a long nap, and I gave the older one a science project to do--it worked! I guess if you really want it, you've got to be willing to work for it!0 -
Oh, and I added some of you that aren't already my friends on here because we all seem to have kids around the same age!0
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I have a six- and ten-year-old as well. They will entertain themselves, watch tv, or even "babysit" the 2-yo. (lol, they feel so grown up). I'm way too beat to do anything after bedtime. If I don't make my workout a priority, it never happens. So laundry gets put at the bottom of the list!0
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No really, under foot. For parents, what are you tactics for working out when you've got small children. I have a 4 year old and a 1.5 year old. Right now my work outs are an hour long and I do them in my living room. I aim for nap time of the youngest-but that doesn't always happen these days. So then I try to include them. Is anyone else struggling with this? Please add me for support and let's share tips!!!!!!!!
I can relate to that. I work out at home and have a 3.5 year old son. Honestly I tried to include him but having him in the same room is both distracting (he likes to see me lift weights but he wants me to change exercise after each set to see new moves :-) and dangerous. We do not watch TV at home so what I do is schedule the workouts and do them whenever my wife is at home and can watch him.0 -
I love that pic
I have 3 kids, 6, 4, and 1.5. My workouts occur at lunch when I'm at work or in the evenings after they go to bed. If it's just me and the oldest, I can usually do the elliptical while he watches TV but the other 2 are way too busy and self destructive for me to workout while they are awake! 0 -
I don't have any solution, but wanted to add a little humour to the equation.
Mike
That is quite possibly the sexiest thing I have ever seen.
I have 3 kids. 2, 4, and 8 and a deployed husband. I work out in my garage. My 8 year old skates around the garage, my 4 year old gets on my exercise bike, and my 2 year old uses my resistance bands as a sling shot for his hot wheels cars. Besides a few cars to the forehead, its working out pretty well.
on days that they are rowdy, I take them in the back yard and bring my dumbells/jump rope with me.0 -
I have a six- and ten-year-old as well. They will entertain themselves, watch tv, or even "babysit" the 2-yo. (lol, they feel so grown up). I'm way too beat to do anything after bedtime. If I don't make my workout a priority, it never happens. So laundry gets put at the bottom of the list!
Haha. Today is a busy day for me. School starts back tomorrow and my house is a wreck. If my house isn't clean, mornings are BAD. So I'm making cleaning/laundry a HIIT routine. I'm doing 15 minutes in each room, with 5 minutes on the treadmill between rooms. Today is going to be a max burn calorie day.
My christmas tree is still up....:laugh:0 -
Get a double stroller! Pushing both of them will burn extra calories I used to push all three of my boys (6,4,3)before my oldest started school and it only took about 5 minutes before I started to sweat! 0
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Keep at it, and they will get used to it. I have an almost 5 year old and a 2 1/2 year old. At the beginning there were a few breaks of running to the kitchen for milk. The more I do it, the more they are just used to it. I do try to set them up on drinks and snacks before hand. And occasionally have to pause for a minute or two. Also the older they get the easier it is.0
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my gym has free daycare and my 4 year old loves it so much she begs me to go almost every night.
also I have a gym at work0 -
I usd to exercise either at night or early AM. I didn't want to include my kids; it's my time. If I have to worrk about them, I can't take care of myself.0
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I have a 2yo and 4yo. On my days off I try to get them to nap so I can squeeze in a short workout. On work days and weekends, I workout after husband gets home to keep an eye on them. A gym membership would be awesome but not in the budget, so I use dvds or my wii fit or if its nice out I go for a walk.0
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I do have a jogging stroller--but I live in MI, and so Winter work outs are indoors when it's just me and the kids. I would LOVE to have my alone time to work out--that does happen in the summer when hubs takes the kids on the fishing boat and I get to run alone. Ahhhh yesss...glorious times! lol0
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I got an off road 3 wheel buggy and took my daughter running. I also got a back carrier and took her hiking. She absolutely loved it.0
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I have a 4 year old and an 18 month old as well! I have attempted to do workouts "with" them... but I don't end up getting much out of it except alot of laughing!
I'm fortunate to have a short commute to work and I have late hours... so I get my kids ready for daycare and preschool in the morning and my husband drops them off on the way to work. I then get to walk to the gym and slip in my 30 minutes daily. Weekends my husband and I switch going and watching the kids... my gym offers daycare but its expensive and the hours are silly.
Its funny, we always try to get my 4 year old to do push up and sit ups and he's a machine w/ sit ups, but hasn't mastered the push up yet... but once, I was trying to get him to do them with me... instead he jumped up and down on the couch and counted off as I did them! He was the best drill instructor I've ever had!0 -
I have a 6 mon th old and an almost 2 year old..its hard finding time to eat breakfast and breastfeed the baby.. im exausted and have no help from husband.he is usually working or just cant handle them...yesim serious! Well i usually only work out a couple days a week. I would love to have more time for myself but thats the way itis..0
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I have a 7, 5 and 3 year old so I know how challenging it is!! I have a membership to the Y with great child are facilities, I also try to workout during lunch if my work schedule permits and lately I have been doing DVDs in the morning before they wake up and the "mom" "mom" "mom" "mom" begins....0
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I've got a 4 year old who now owns her own pair of 1 lb dumbbells so she can work out with me (she still bugs me for a yoga mat!). When she chooses not to, she'll play in her room or watch me from the couch. She knows enough of my routine by now for cues to when she can safely pass through the living room. It took some time before she got it, but we're peachy now.0
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I have an 8 month old and it's difficult. He HATES going in a playpen or bouncer so that I can work out. My only strategy right now is to do it during naps. Sigh...hoping it gets easier as he gets older and can do more things on his own. Or bug me while I work out, whatever...0
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I've got a 4 year old who now owns her own pair of 1 lb dumbbells so she can work out with me (she still bugs me for a yoga mat!). When she chooses not to, she'll play in her room or watch me from the couch. She knows enough of my routine by now for cues to when she can safely pass through the living room. It took some time before she got it, but we're peachy now.
This is BRILLIANT! Great idea with the smaller dumbbells for the kid.
Mike0 -
I'm in that boat too! I have a 3.5 yr old and a 1.5 old. I workout at home and they watch me for a bit, the baby tries to do some moves which is cute. Then she thinks I need lots of hugs which is hard. My oldest will watch for a while then she generally gets bored and finds something to play with. I've kinda figured how to work around them, even in my tiny space.0
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