A family Affair

Since having kids, I've been very blessed.  First and foremost, I'm blessed to have healthy children.  Now, keeping them healthy, that's a daily challenge.  We're very lucky because our kids love their fruit.  I won't go so far as to say they love vegetables, but they do like them and there's usually no fighting when it comes time to eat veggies.  In fact, over the summer we have a "snack of the day", which is a heaping plate of either a fruit or a vegetable, and the kids snack on it throughout the day.  That has worked great, by the way.  My kids eat.  All the time.  So, having a huge snack out helps in two ways.  First, it's healthy, so I don't worry about them eating too much of it.  Second, it's always out, so they don't have to constantly bother me about getting them something to eat!

Exercise seems to be a little harder to fit in every day.  Now, this time of year is much easier.  We just finished our soccer season and are drawing close to the end of baseball season.   Both of my kids have sports sprinkled throughout the course of the school year, which keeps them (and mom and dad!) pretty active. However, summer poses a different challenge for us.

Yes, they go outside to play every day. However, we are very fair-skinned and even with sunscreen, we burn.  So during the summer, our time outside is limited. We need to be a little more creative when it comes to exercise for them.  I've actually started doing exercise videos with the kids and they love it!  We make it fun.  I have a ton of videos to choose from, so they get to pick which video we do and then we do it together.  Some days it's Richard Simmons, some days we're Walking Away the Pounds, some days we're running to the Wii Fit.  Whatever!

Yesterday my husband and son were at the batting cages, which left my little girl and I at home.  She suggests that we take the dogs for a walk.  We had just eaten, so the idea of fighting with my dogs and their leashes didn't appeal to me that much.  But then I thought to myself ~wait a minute, she wants to get out and walk.  It's great exercise for her, me, and the dogs, what are we waiting for?!  So, we got our shoes, grabbed the dogs and had a nice walk.  On our walk we were talking about what a good, healthy choice she made to get out and walk.  She smiled and said "I know."  Maybe this healthy stuff is actually sinking in! ;-)