My Dirty Little Secret: I Joined A Gym….For The Childcare!!

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Moms at the Gym

For those of you who aren’t aware, I’m a military wife. Whose husband is overseas again. And this time, in the mix is a very energetic, non-stop moving, talking, little boy. He’s driving me crazy. Before my husband left, when he would get home at the end of his day, I would hand off my wonderful darling boy, and go hide somewhere for awhile. But now, no one is coming home at the end of the day, so it’s all me all day. I love this boy, but he’s pushing me over the edge.

And then I discovered the gym…..

My wonderful, non-stop moving boy gets to run and play, and I get to, well…I know I should say work out. But I’ll be honest. Mostly I sit and stare off into space. Some times I read.  Or write (like now!). Or work on a project that is portable.  I really wish I could say that I did something really great and ambitious like working out. But honestly, just being able to sit and stare into space is saving my sanity. For a period of time, I do NOT hear “Hey Mom….” He starts every sentence with it. Every. Sentence. EVERY Sentence. EVERY SENTENCE!!

There are days that I am pretty sure if I hear it come out of his mouth one more time, I am going to lose my mind. And then he says it again. And I take a deep breath, reach deep, and answer him one more time.

But when I go to the gym…..

No one calls me Mom for at least an hour. No one interrupts my shower. I could work out if I wanted. I’m sure eventually when these warm fall days have faded that I will invest more energy in to some physical activity. But right now, it just feels so good to sit here by the pool, and have my own thoughts in my head.

My doctor has been telling me for years that I need to get more exercise in. I just never imagined that when I joined the gym it would be for the wonderful childcare, the comfy chairs in the lounge, the café with free wi-fi, and the two and a half hours of childcare included in my membership. It’s been over a month now, and I have yet to use a single piece of exercise equipment. It looks really good, and I’m sure that I’ll get to it.

But not today.

Mom reading a bookToday the sun is hot, the breeze is blowing, and there is a pool-side lounge chair that is calling my name. Kriiiisssstiiiinnn….come sit…..

Yeah, I think I’m gonna.

I can work out tomorrow.

Maybe.

 

 

 

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Kristin, Senior Writer
Once Upon A Time, in another life, Kristin graduated from the University of Michigan with a plan to teach high school math. But then, life happened when she wasn’t looking…. She married an Army guy and 23 years, 3 kids, a few dogs, 7 homes, and 2 continents later she’s now a single mom living here in Colorado Springs. Along the way she volunteered for the Army, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and several schools; managed volunteer organizations, coached judo, trained to be a whitewater rafting guide, biked down Pike’s Peak and even managed to teach some high schoolers a little math before forging new trails writing, teaching and financial planning. She never knows what’s coming around the bend, but she’s learned to handle whatever life (and the Army!), throws at her with a smile and a laugh. She’s pretty sure you can get through anything with those, even if you have to fake it occasionally!!

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