Single Parents

Meghan0116 · January 2012

I have been working out since beginning of September and I am finding that I am having a hard time with fitting in the workouts. My son just turned 3 last week and he is very adamant about me not working out when he is there. lol I try to get up in the morning and sometimes succeed and then I also come home after work and workout before getting him from daycare. I hate that because not only is he stuck at daycare longer but my workout can only be 30 minutes at most.

I would very much like to start C25K but I am not sure how I could do it with him. My other option is joining a Planet Fitness that is between my work and his daycare. I could possibly get 1 hour in after work before getting him but again he is then stuck at daycare until almost 6 pm.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

meerkat70 · January 2012

If you've got time to put in a workout between getting home and collecting from daycare, I'd say that's your best time to go do your C25k run. You don't need a huge amount of time for it. Enjoy! It's great that you're trying so hard to work out a way of staying active. It's really difficult when you have little kids, especially if you're on your own. x

lynnmarie60 · January 2012

I would suggest trying something he likes to do too. When I bought my stationary bike, I bought a similar "toy" at "toys r us" for my toddler (2 at the time) and now him and I get on our bikes together.
Also, I bought Dance Party 2 and 3 for the Wii and my now 3 year old loves to do it with me; they even have dance party for kids. Try out things he may want to do with you. Walking, riding bikes (with him in a seat or carrier), roller skating....ect.

sayfay · January 2012

I'm not a single mom anymore, but I was. And my daughter was just a little older than your son when her father and I divorced. He has very little visitation, so I rarely had any free time! I'm not a morning person, so I would work out after she was in bed. As soon as I got home, I would put on my workout clothes so I had no excuses and didn't get too comfy!

Even now, I'm remarried to a guy who helps me out tremendously with my daughter, but between her activities, homework, and working full time, I still don't work out until after she is in bed.

On the weekends I work out at the YMCA while she does swim class. Our Y also offers free child care, so I have used that in the past too, on the weekends. Too hard to get there during the week.

jeffrodgers1 · January 2012

I see a lot of people running with jogging strollers. Most kids seem to love the ride as they get to go faster than a normal stroller and still enjoy mom's\dad's attention.

As a side note, I had a bike trailer that my daughter used to ride in, and she quite enjoyed it as well.

mysticalfaerieorb · January 2012

I try to get my son into what I am doing. I'll let him dance with me. You can even exercise with him by walking him to the park or teaching him how to dribble a ball or learning how to ride a bike with training wheels.

I have a 2.5 year old-he'll be 3 in May. I am lucky he gets a kick out of working out and trying to do some of the yoga poses.

yvonnej1 · January 2012

Can you workout after he is in bed, maybe get some DVD's like 30 day shred? That's what I used to do. I'm a single mum too although things have got a little easier for me now as my oldest can listen out for the younger one after he's in bed whilst I make a quick trip to the gym in the evenings.

farmers_daughter · January 2012

I just had this fight with myself recently...I have absolutely NO time, and really NO babysitter. The YMCA won't keep them past 5:30.

So I drag...yes I MEAN DRAG....myself out of bed at 4:40am 3 times a week to get a 20 minute walk in. This is my start, I will eventually get up to 5 days a week, this will at least stoke my metabolism, and maybe it will remember how to burn. :laugh:

From there I find little ways to get in some kind of exercise every day, for example, when doing the laundry (that never ends :sad: ) I run up and down the stairs a few times, even doing the everyother step thing. I shovel my own snow, I unnecessarily push mow my yard, I sometimes find a few moments to pop in a DVD in my laptop, because my kids have claimed my TV when i get the change.
Unfortunately early morning has worked I just make sure I get my butt in bed before 10 pm. It is hard, but I have to do it. I have to. Nobody else is going to help me so I have to do it.

That's one letter I've learned to really beat into my head "I" "I" "I" oh yes....and me me me. That usually comes after MOMMY!

Babygirl082578 · January 2012

He probably doesn't even notice at 3 years old that he is at daycare longer. He is playing and having fun with his friends. Get your work out in then and he will get used to you doing that everyday. If it starts to cause a problem then maybe invest in a jog stroller. I used mine a bit with my daughter but she was a bit older when I started and think if we would have started when she was younger getting her used to the idea would have been easier.
Get him and Ipod, some goldfish, graham cracker etc any small snack will do and he will entertain himself. It may only be for a few mins the first couple times but it will get better as he gets used to it.
My daughter is 9 now and rides her bike with me during the week on my short runs so I only get a sitter on Sat mornings because she wouldn't make it on some of those longer runs.
My suggestion is start now of getting him into your routine because when he is older and there is homework and toys and tv he will be set in the routine already and there will be less resistance.
Trust me! I have been there!
Good luck

soliver76 · January 2012

I have an 8 week old and have the same problem with finding time. I have found he enjoys going for walks while in the Moby Wrap. Obviously you can't put your 3 year old in a Moby without hurting your back probably. Even if you can only get 30 minute workouts in at a time that's still better than not doing anything. I agree with most of the previous posts on finding something he likes to do or something he can do with you so that you are still spending positive time together.

jazzie2421 · January 2012

I'm a single mom of teenagers, been that way since they were 1 and 2. When they were 3ish I'd take them to the park and play with them or walk around the playground while I could keep an eye on them (versus sitting on the bench), or go to the mall with them in the stroller and walk. We'd also put on music and dance in the livingroom. Now we play Kinnect/Wii games together, dance, walk the mall... have fun and make it fun for him too.

TheCats_Meow · January 2012

My children are stuck at daycare every day until 6 and that's not by choice. I still make time to fit in exercises afterwards. You have to take care of yourself as well as your children.

You can either make excuses or find a way :flowerforyou:

Kekibird · January 2012

Single mama here. When my son was little, a jogging stroller saved me. I used to run us to a park, let him out to play and get dirty, then I'd run us home. That was for the weekends. On the weekdays, I would workout after he went to bed doing a mixture of workout DVDs.

When he got old enough to stay in the play area of the gym, I started doing that and he loves it. It gives him a little more play time and social time since I'm 100% mom/dad and he has no siblings or cousins.

kd_mazur · January 2012

I'm not a single mom anymore, but I was. And my daughter was just a little older than your son when her father and I divorced. He has very little visitation, so I rarely had any free time! I'm not a morning person, so I would work out after she was in bed. As soon as I got home, I would put on my workout clothes so I had no excuses and didn't get too comfy!

I also try to get dressed as soon as I get home...if I can get dressed I will likely get thru a workout too.
You might try working out after his bedtime. I borrow lots of workout dvds from my local library to try them out before I purchase the ones I like. Don't worry about exercise so late in the evening keeping you up either, I have found its no trouble to sleep after.

theskinnyonme · January 2012

I would suggest trying something he likes to do too. When I bought my stationary bike, I bought a similar "toy" at "toys r us" for my toddler (2 at the time) and now him and I get on our bikes together.
Also, I bought Dance Party 2 and 3 for the Wii and my now 3 year old loves to do it with me; they even have dance party for kids. Try out things he may want to do with you. Walking, riding bikes (with him in a seat or carrier), roller skating....ect.

Same here... I do wii just dance 2 and 3. We also go skating on sundays cause its free.

Meghan0116 · January 2012

Great ideas everyone!!!! I am going to start checking out Craigs List for a jogging stroller.

Unfortunately his bedtime is 930 ish (little brat, lol) and by that time I am DONE. But I am going to work on that too.

teresaj0315 · January 2012

If you can fit it in between work and picking him up ~ that's what I do. I've been a single mom for a long time ~ I go straight to the gym right after work and get a good 45 minute work out and then I rush to pick him up by 6:30. Works great!

BuffyKicksButt · January 2012

My daughter is the same - no way I can workout while she is awake and she also is up super late and sleeps in my bed. I have resorted to getting up at 5 am - it actually not bad once you get used to it - plus your workout is done for the day and you can't use any excuses like later in the day. Its also nice to have some calm time before everyone gets up.

theginnyray · January 2012

My husband travels for work and I am a runner. When the weather is nice, I load the kid in the jogging stroller and get a few miles in. Let me warn you, the jogging stroller is extra work, and it will not be comfortable, even if you buy the most expensive model :-) But it's totally worth it. I would also recommend a bike and bike trailer, both you can find at good prices on CL.

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