Getting Your Kids Away From the TV~priddymomma

Hey guys!  Nice to have you tune in again.  I know you are just chomping at the bit to know what the topic is this time.  We have for you our tried and true suggestions for getting your child to put down the remote (or game controller) and do something else for a while!  Yay!  Awesome!

Okay, truth time.  I am not the best person in the world to offer advice on this topic.  We do not have cable in our household.  I don’t tell you that because I’m all goody goody about it.  We just decided we couldn’t afford to have cable about five years ago and never looked back.  We don’t miss cable.  We get our news and weather from the internet.  Shows we “have” to watch are eventually available on DVD, and we do own a DVD player (and television.  Don’t be weird.)

That being said, I plop my kids down in front of it daily.  I am a stay at home mom.  I am a homeschooling mother as well.  If you work 9-5, you get a lunch and breaks.  Afterwards, you get to go home and presumably stop working (or at least work on something different).  If you are a stay at home mom or dad (and do not homeschool), you likely send a kid or two off to school during some part of your day.  Me?  My job is 24-7.  I have both my kids ALL the time.  Kids are fighting with each other or bombarding me if I have to pee, I’m the one to get up in the night if the kids need me, and my lunch is usually an after thought when I realize I haven’t eaten and that is way I’m feeling sick to my stomach.  While my kids mean the world to me, they are not my entire world.  I need some time for myself as a person too.  I challenge anyone to listen to as much high-pitched screaming as I do on a daily basis and not want to throw in the proverbial towel.  I will let them watch a movie to save my sanity, yes yes yes.

Cheerio Champ gets video games as well as a movie each day.  *gasp*  The horror!  Yes, well…not every day.  He earns them.  You heard me.  He has chores and knows that we expect a certain caliber of behavior from him.  If he doesn’t keep up his end of the bargain, too bad so sad.  That means if there is a movie that day (and usually there will be at least one), it is mom’s pick and it will be educational.  (Sometimes that is a good thing, sometimes not so much.  There was a recent “naughty” day in which his movie was a lecture on DNA.  While he did take away a bit about protein bonding, he would have much rather watched Frozen).

I do my best to make sure they have other things to occupy their time.  They do a pretty good job of keeping themselves busy (when not demanding things from me of course).  Even when there is a movie playing, the kids like to run off and do something else before making their way back to whatever was on.  I like to think they occupy themselves in part because I have never been one to plan their entire day.  Certain things are set in stone (bedtime, lunch, etc.), but outside of that, whatever. 

I told you all that so that you would know more about the reputability of your activity planner.  Take or leave what I have to suggest to you here, and feel free to comment about some of your favorite busy-making for kiddos!

Princess Cheerio and her art

• Art.  I completely agree with Leslie here.  Cheerio Champ has never been much for drawing or coloring, but he loves to paint.  Princess Cheerio loves everything to do with art, but she doesn’t enjoy coloring books.  She likes to have a blank sheet of paper to put her scribbles to, and as a result, she has a massive amount of fine motor skills.  She is two and regularly holds a writing utensil correctly.  I highly suggest leaving out paper, pencils, markers, and crayons where your kiddos can get them, preferably on a little table or something of that nature.  Insist that the supplies stay there if you like the current color of your walls, floors, carpets, and furniture. 
• Reading.  Again, agreeing with Leslie.  My kids have loads and loads of books.  They spend hours pouring over them.  Cheerio Champ can read and has recently picked up chapter books.  Princess Cheerio can’t read yet, but she loves turning pages, looking at pictures and words, and having someone else read them to her.  Sometimes her bubby even reads a book to her, which melts my heart.  Use your local library if you don’t have a lot of books at home, or if they are getting tired of the same books.  We get each kid ten books a week.  They love it!
• Go outside.  This sounds like a no brainer, but many families never do this.  You don’t have to plan an activity!  When we first moved to our new house, my mother wanted to buy the kids a swing set.  I didn’t want to get one just yet, as I hadn’t planned out where my garden or shed or anything was going to be and had no idea where I wanted a swing set placed.  She exclaimed, “But what will they DO?”  Um…play?  Outside?  While enjoying nature?  Why is this so hard to comprehend?  That floors me.  I played outside for hours on end as a kid.  Granted, I did have a swing set.  While all of us kids spent a lot of time on it, I have more memories of chasing each other around, looking for bugs, and exploring.  Cheerio Champ spends time in his garden patch, watching birds, and playing with designated outside toys.  Princess Cheerio looks at everything.  Our neighbors have horses, she loves bugs, and she likes to pick dandelions.  During the summer, kids can have fun with water.  Snow is great in winter. Leaves to play in during the fall. There are countless things to enjoy.
• Cooking.  My kids love to help cook anything at all.  Great jobs for them include whisking, adding pre-measured ingredients, slicing things with a plastic knife, counting, and getting out ingredients from the refrigerator or pantry. 
• Get them active.  Okay, so this may or may not be away from the tv.  We have some exercise DVDs aimed at kids that we let them watch, but you can also show them how to do it without the movie help.  We also have a home gym, but you don’t need one to share fitness with your kiddos.  Any kid will dance along if your Zumba song comes on the radio.  Our kids love the trampoline.  Jump ropes are super fun and a learning experience.  My family had several pogo sticks when I was growing up.  Go for a walk or a hike or a bike ride.  Try a yoga DVD together (we love Gaiam’s YogaKids series).  Play tag!  Play Simon Says or dance the hokey pokey.  Go swimming or sledding.  Have a tickle fight!  The sky is the limit (unless you are into hang gliding, and then I guess it isn’t).

Here, hubby is teaching Princess Cheerio and Cheerio Champ about tai chi posture

That’s it for me!  If you have any topic requests or comments, we would love to hear from you!  Comment below, or email us at thecaseofthemissingcheerios@gmail.com .

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Working Out~priddymomma

Welcome back!  This week, we’re discussing workouts.  Whether you are an athlete or a novice, we hope to have some good advice for you.  Here are some common excuses for not exercising and what you can do to beat them once and for all.

 “I don’t have time to workout.”

Not to sound like Jillian Michaels here, but excuses much?  Who has time to workout?  You make time.  Get up earlier and make sure to go to bed at the same time every night.  Get plenty of sleep and get up when your alarm goes off the first time.  Sleep in your workout clothes if that’s what it takes to get motivated.  You don’t have to get up six hours before you have to be at work or before the kids will be up.  I recommend getting at least an hour of exercise every day, but you can break that up in manageable segments.  If you only have thirty minutes in the morning before you need to be in the shower, great!  Work it, shower, and then find time to exercise the other thirty when you get home.  Or maybe take advantage of breaks at work to do some squats and such.  Workouts can be very portable and do not need to require equipment or large amounts of time.  Also assess how you are spending your time.  Do you have two hours for facebook or twitter, and time every evening to watch your favorite shows?  Give them up, abbreviate the time, or multi task and voilà!

“I don’t have energy for exercise.”

As counter intuitive as it sounds, exercise provides you with energy.  The more often you work your body, the more often your body can provide its own energy boost.  Strength training, for instance, allows you to perform every day activities with less effort, thereby saving energy for that three o’clock hour when you normally crash through the floor and grab a latte.  You might just find your morning mocha isn’t as necessary as you thought it was.

“I can’t afford a gym membership.”

Neither can I.  I’ve never been in a gym, yet I’ve worked out for years.  You can buy equipment for a home gym, or you can use what you have.  You’d be surprised what you can accomplish with a step stool, two one-gallon jugs of water, and a towel. 

Never underestimate fitness DVDs.  Home videos have come a long way since Richard Simmons (though in no way am I dissing him.  He’s FUN!).  The advantages are many, including cost, privacy, and ability to pause when you have to pee or get the baby. 

There are also many classes you can go to that are not associated with a gym, such as Zumba.  Zumba classes are usually only $4 or $5 each class. 

As Kim mentioned, there are many great video games, ranging from having a virtual personal trainer to dancing your booty off against friends. 

Not really your thing?  Don’t forget good old walking, jogging, running, or biking.  Long standing exercises all, and for good reason:  they work.

“I don’t have anyone to watch the kids.”

Higher end gyms offer child care, but you don’t have to be a gym rat to get fit.  Many Zumba classes, for instance, offer free child care.  Try trading off sitting with another mommy for fitness reasons (or maybe she needs a sitter for a hot date!).

If you can’t get away from them, have them join the fun!  There are great jogging strollers on the market for active mommies to take baby for a run.    You can try mom and baby yoga.  Both my kids (5 years and 15 months) love to do yoga and to dance.  You can get a great workout on a playground while they play right next to you.  Go swimming!  Hiking!  Bike riding! (I do not recommend bike seats for small children, however.  They are not safe.  Wait until they can ride their own bike.)  Play a sport together!  You’ll get fit, bond, set a good example, and wear the kids out so they sleep good in the evening.  Everyone wins!

“Working out is boring.”

You aren’t doing it right.  You can’t keep the same routine for five years and expect it to be fascinating.  If it’s boring, change it.  I change mine up every five or six weeks, keeping a separate calendar just for my fitness routine and goals.  Running on the treadmill?  Go outside or try running backwards (seriously!).  Is your walk boring you?  Grab a pal and chat while you hit a local park.  Change your DVD, try a new class, challenge yourself with a heavier pair of dumbbells, add some jumping jacks between sets, try interval training, or race a pal.  Reward yourself with non-food goodies, like a new fitness DVD or some cute workout clothes.  Mani-pedi, new shoes, that dress you’ve had your eye on…set a goal, accomplish it, and it’s yours!  Everyone needs some motivation now and again.  Goals like, “Not be fat by March” are just not good enough to keep you interested, and they’re too vague. 

“Sweating is gross.”

Yeah.  It kinda is.  However, you don’t have to sweat like a Gatorade commercial.  There are plenty of gentle exercises that don’t cause you to perspire profusely, such as yoga, tai chi, or walking.  You can always bring a towel to dab off.  And if all else fails, plan to shower immediately afterwards.

“I have bad knees.”

If you have some physical condition that keeps you from doing certain things, then you already know what things you can’t do.  You need to learn to think more positively and focus on what you CAN do.  I know many women with bad knees who love to swim, saying it is much easier on their joints.  You can do many low-impact exercises if your joints are an issue.  There is even a Zumba instructor that is in a wheelchair because of a physical handicap.  She’s still exercising with what she can do, and that’s what you need to do too. 

Kim mentioned exercise-induced asthma.  I have that condition too, but notice I didn’t say I’m an avid runner.  I know my limits, and the condition for me lessens the stronger my lungs become from cardio.  I go to Zumba once a week, strength train once a week, hike with my thirty pound baby on my back in a backpack carrier three times a week, and do yoga twice a week.  I almost never have an attack, and if I feel I’m exerting myself too hard, I take a break to breathe.

Tips and Tricks

• Schedule in time to exercise like you would a work meeting, doctor’s appointment, or play date.  If someone or something tries to take that time, you are booked.  You have an appointment with yourself, and if you don’t put yourself first, no one will.

• Exercise and food work together.  Food is fuel.  If you eat crap, you’ll be running on crap all day. 
• Take a day off every now and again, especially if you feel very ill or aren’t feeling it.  You’ll enjoy the time off and hopefully be more interested in jumping back on the workout wagon the next day.
• Know your limits.  Don’t give 112% or you might well end up injured.  That goes double if you haven’t tried a workout before.  Sometimes you can’t tell how sore you will be until a day or two later.
• Watch your form.  Having a poor form can cause injury, limit results, or drain you too quickly.
• Results won’t occur overnight.  It might be six weeks before other people really start to comment on your weight loss or tone, but you will notice a difference in your strength and energy almost immediately.  Keep it up!
• Having a fitness friend is fun, but it’s also a great motivator.  You are now accountable to another person.  You don’t want to let them down or have them disapprove, so you go do your thing.  Try sites like sparkpeople.com to find online communities of like-minded folks.

My friend Allisse and I after a Zumba class.  Glamorous.  I know.

• Little things add up.  Take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk or bike to work (even just once a week), do five or ten minutes of exercise during a break, sit on an exercise ball to engage abs while at the computer (or stand!), and dance like a crazy person at your girl’s wedding.  Hubby and I like to go on active dates where we play basketball, hike, walk, or go bowling.  You can try rock climbing, zip lining, or horseback riding.  If it’s fun, you’ll be less likely to view it as exercise, but it is!  It all counts!  Don’t forget sex! 
• Don’t make too many changes at once.  Start by requiring yourself to walk thirty minutes, three times a week.  If you keep that up for a week or two, step it up to forty-five minutes, or five days a week.  Habits aren’t formed until you’ve done something four months in a row, so it’ll take some time to ease yourself into a new routine.  You don’t want to start a new job, pick up exercising seven days a week, get pregnant, move to New Zealand, learn Portuguese, begin volunteering at the homeless shelter, change the way you eat, learn to knit, and quit smoking all at the same time.  You’ll blow a gasket and give up something…and that something will probably be working out as it takes a good deal of time and effort.
• The scale measures weight.  That may seem pretty obvious, but your scale lists a weight and not a height, not a measurement of body fat (unless you have that special one, though they aren’t always accurate), not a measurement of beauty, brains, or wit.  You are more than your weight, and whether you gain or lose, if you feel good about yourself, you have nothing to fear from the scale.  Muscle and fat weigh the same, but muscle takes up less room than fat.  So if your pants are looser, but the scale is being stubborn, be proud of the fat you changed to muscle.  Muscle burns more calories than fat, and pretty soon you’ll be looking down at a number you love.  

• Indulge every once in a while.  I love chocolate.  I would smack someone in the face if they suggested I not eat it ever again.  Do what makes you feel good, but within reason.  If you can’t give up your morning cup of joe, at least don’t have a 64 ounce caramel mocha super espresso double shot with extra syrup, cream, and lard.  Watch serving sizes.  Have one cup the way you want it and be done for the day.

Hopefully you’ve taken some valuable things away from our posts this week.  We hope you check in again next Monday on our nifty new topic.  Until then, farewell!