#FitKids Ain't Easy

     Keeping kids active isn’t always easy. It takes time and sometimes planning….and sometimes just a crazy idea. I try to take the kiddos on a run a few times a week, but now that it’s summer and my work schedule is changing, it hasn’t been easy.

     One of the things I keep in mind is J. He's on the Autism Spectrum and capable of waking early (I don’t know how he does it, but he can wake himself up at 4am for a 5:30 run….every time….) and run 3 miles or so at a decent pace.  This kid needs to get some gross motor time in everyday, or his behavior tends to run a muck. 
     We do random things like running on a local trail, hitting the park, practicing cartwheels and roller skating! (We haven't bought bikes yet!) I don't force the kiddos to participate (unless I'm the only adult home-then everyone has to go) and we take things at their pace. I even hang back with the slowest runners! If we have a hard time fitting activities in when I get home, I do something fun on the weekends-we like to long runs to a park or go roller skating at the outdoor rink by their school.
    One day while skating at the outdoor rink, we found some sticks and an empty iced tea bottle. Viola! Instant hockey teams! (There's a resident goal net that seems to live there...) The kiddos had fun playing hockey...and chasing each other with sticks....and a fight even broke out! Maybe hockey's in their blood!

                                       My Team:

    A few times week, we'll run to a park close to the house (and after playing, run back!). The other day, we had a huge group of 6 of the kiddos plus me & the Hubs (he's a recent running convert!). After a while, Hubs decided it would be a good idea to roll down the hill....then the kiddos & I were telling him about a ginormous hill at a park near the kiddos school...so we all decided to run to that park to roll down the hill! And of course we still had to run home afterwards. Needless to day, everyone slept wonderfully that night! 
        And...here we are, just tumbling down a ginormous hill...yep, that's me-the longest one out there....
                                          

Comments

  1. Great post! I remember when my kids were younger, the Hubs always turned our driveway into an impromptu rollerblade hockey rink. Kids from all over the neighborhood would come to play every Sunday afternoon. I miss those days!

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  2. How fun! we're planning to make an ice-skate rink in our yard when winter comes back! apparently it's a thing here in Alaska!

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