Bonding with children through exercise
FINDING the balance in parenting, work, having a social life and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge for many mothers, but below, three mothers from Sagicor tell Baby Steps how they do this, while maintaining a full exercise regimen.
Danya Brown-Leslie, personal banker
When exercising, my kids stay with me during the sessions and actually get involved in the exercise routines. This allows a mother-and-child bond with them, amidst the demands of life. I’m also enjoying myself, and bonding with family. As a parent, personal time and bonding with my children is very important to me. This is the time that I get to share in their day.
Corrine Bellamy, assistant vice president, employee benefits administrator
With my demanding job, I don’t always find the time to go to the gym to do a formal workout so I try to fit in some exercise while spending time with my sweet little boy. Every single evening after work, I take him outside for a 30-minute walk and he weighs 22 pounds now, so my arms definitely get a workout there. From time to time I also use him as a weight to do some squats, pelvic thrusts with him on my tummy, or even lifting him over my head to work the arms. We also take him to the pool so I get a few laps in while daddy plays with him. I am also signed up to do a 5K with him in his stroller. I’ve always noticed that after having babies a lot of moms become so dedicated to caring for their children that they forget to take care of themselves, but I think that being healthy and active not only gives you the energy to deal with such a busy life, but helps maintain a level of mental and emotional stability that is necessary to raise a child. It also sets an example to your kids that a healthy lifestyle is important and being active can be a fun thing. Involving him in exercise keeps us together during those times as opposed to me leaving him to go to the gym, and so it definitely gives us more time to bond which is important as they grow so quickly.
With my demanding job, I don’t always find the time to go to the gym to do a formal workout so I try to fit in some exercise while spending time with my sweet little boy. Every single evening after work, I take him outside for a 30-minute walk and he weighs 22 pounds now, so my arms definitely get a workout there. From time to time I also use him as a weight to do some squats, pelvic thrusts with him on my tummy, or even lifting him over my head to work the arms. We also take him to the pool so I get a few laps in while daddy plays with him. I am also signed up to do a 5K with him in his stroller. I’ve always noticed that after having babies a lot of moms become so dedicated to caring for their children that they forget to take care of themselves, but I think that being healthy and active not only gives you the energy to deal with such a busy life, but helps maintain a level of mental and emotional stability that is necessary to raise a child. It also sets an example to your kids that a healthy lifestyle is important and being active can be a fun thing. Involving him in exercise keeps us together during those times as opposed to me leaving him to go to the gym, and so it definitely gives us more time to bond which is important as they grow so quickly.
Serena Gayle, marketing assistant, employee’s benefit division
Being a mother of two, I have to find creative ways to maintain balance in my life. Motherhood can be demanding at times, and it is very important for me to see my children after a long day at work. My exercise routine involves working out three days out of the week and as long as they are awake, they will join me while I work out. My routine includes crunches to tone my abs and planks, which also helps to strengthen my midsection, upper-body and lower-body muscles. The balance is created by having them do their versions of my exercise and it’s fun to watch them and also it is even more endearing to know they are happy to hang out with their mummy. I believe it is important to stay in shape and I have learnt it’s important to have a routine that is consistent. I also believe in the adage, “a body in motion stays in motion”.
The best thing that has happened for me is the level of trust that has developed between us during our exercise time together. With our children being exposed to so much too quickly, I want my children to feel comfortable to come and talk to me about anything and our exercise time together has done that. It has also helped me to teach my children the importance of exercise. Also, during our exercise sessions, we use this time to talk about happenings at school. Children need their parents’ input in their lives so I value personal time with my children. Fitting them in my exercise schedule helps me to create a bond with them. I believe if our workout sessions were excluded from our daily lifestyle, various life lessons would not be learnt. First, I am teaching them the importance of exercise. I am teaching them that positive results can be gained from this activity, that is, they will not be prone to certain illnesses as adults such as obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. Secondly, I am also teaching them that if they don’t exercise there are risks involved. Thirdly, I am also showing them that the best way to teach someone anything is to lead by example.
Brown-Leslie with kids Nathan and Jaden.
Bellamy with husband Andrew and son Andrew Jr.
