Its winter. Its the sick season. Its the perfect time not to have kids. Its also the perfect time to lose some sleep, get up and out way too early, and exercise.
I had been struggling with a sore throat a few days ago, so my sleep was precious. Very precious. My three-year-old tried to steal if from me, and I wasn’t going to have it. When she came up to my bedroom in the middle of the night, too cold to sleep any longer because she refused to wear warm pajamas a few hours earlier, I firmly and angrily put her back into bed. Twice. And that was all it took. My stubborn determination to get her and myself back to bed for the sake of more sleep was so intense that I had completely woken myself up beyond repair—and then I steamed for the next four hours, fuming in and out of dreams. I didn’t find any more deep and true sleep that night, and the last thing I wanted to do when I woke up was go exercise. I didn’t. Today, a few days later, that night has taken its toll, and I am much sicker than I was.
Kids and sleep. I can’t get enough of either of them! Having kids makes getting good sleep even more crucial, but funny, perhaps the best way to get active alone time when you have kids is by waking up unhealthily early, long before kids beat you to it. I haven’t mastered this yet—and may never do so—but sweating through the hour or two of the early and remarkable transformation from cold darkness to warm light is where it’s at. This is the best exercise time, for many reasons, in my opinion.
In promoting early morning kid-free exercise to parents of young kids, I’m making at least a few assumptions. The first is that you a have a partner who will be there at home if the kids wake up while you’re gone—or a child old enough to hold down the fort while you are out. I’ve heard that Child Protective Services will get involved if you leave young kids at home alone. And unfortunately, their involvement is not some friendly babysitting until you get home. The second of at least a few assumptions is that your kids don’t consider 5 a.m. to be the appropriate time to wake. Regularly. And stay awake. Another similar assumption is that you didn’t battle a child, the child’s sickness, or both all night long, leaving you with little or no sleep.
Early morning exercise may not be possible for you, but if you can pull it off, cherish the early mornings. And try to make a habit of it. This morning, long before my kids were awake, and long before my sickness went away, I did the opposite of what doctor’s would probably recommend. I found myself in two inches of fresh snow, running/walking three miles up a canyon trail with a sled that held my skis and boots. (I’m working on gathering the funds and spousal approval for touring gear.) I was cold and sweaty and in love with life. After my ascent, skiing down the canyon trail long before the ski resorts opened made be feel alive and well.
Maybe I am wrong, but I believe that—somehow—waking up well before my sick body has given approval is maybe the apple a day that keeps the doctor away. Doing exactly the opposite of what my mother taught me to do to combat sickness (sleep in and take it easy) sometimes seems to be the remedy.
And sometimes, like today, pulling a stunt like this makes the first several hours of work feel hellish. Although I loved my early morning stunt, my sick body’s battery had been spent, and I was so tired I thought I’d have to pull the rip cord and parachute my way back home from work and get better acquainted with my bed. But I managed to work a full day, and when I came home, my wife left me with all four of my kids (it was a girl’s night out), which should have been the final ingredient for a disaster. But something quite remarkable happened. Although I felt pretty crummy, I was fun and warm and lovely with my kids. I was the opposite of the beast that met my three-year-old in the middle of the night a couple days back. My kids all went to bed happy tonight, and I’m happy—and about to cough up some strange winter phlegm. (Yes, TMI). Usually when I’m sick, and often when I am perfectly healthy, attempting to calmly put four kids to bed feels like trying to convince my parents that the Democrat party is not pure evil—a very frustrating and futile process. But tonight, despite my sickness and my early morning (and perhaps because of my early morning), there is a lot of love in this house. This feeling at home is especially amazing since my wife (the more loving and kind parent) isn’t even back from her girl’s night out yet.
Taking time to be active each day, especially early and especially in nature, is an investment in being a good parent, at least for me. So, while it seems counter-intuitive, I’m going to strive to get less sleep (or rather go to bed earlier) so that I can spend more time in the bitter cold outdoors this winter, all for the goal of being a happier parent.
How do you manage morning exercise with kids?