Through five years of parenting, I’ve experienced my fair share of mom guilt. Working outside of the home. Staying at home. Not making any enough organic, homemade meals. Too much screen time. Raising my voice every other second.
However, ditching my kids to go out for a run is NOT a source of guilt for me. I would venture to say running actually makes me a better mom. Here’s why:
1) It offers time for me to recharge. I am an introvert. And so not a morning person. Because of these things, I need time to refocus inwardly/recover from the constant chatter of my 5-year-old, the screaming of my 2-year-old because the 5-year-old is being a jerk and the general presence of other people at 8 a.m. Dropping off the kids at my gym's babysitting first thing in the morning to squeeze in a run allows my body and mind to wake up and unwind without the over-stimulation. The free coffee in the fitness center lobby helps, too.
2) It's a fantastic way to lose the baby weight. Between breastfeeding and running, I'm burning some serious calories. (I'm also eating some serious calories because both of these activities make me ravenous. But still.) Running is a great way to help me feel more confident about my post-baby body.
3) I sleep better. I naturally have a lot of energy. (Hmm, maybe that's where my kids get it?) Being sedentary drives me bonkers and leads to crappy sleeping at night. When I'm running on a regular basis, though, I sleep like a rock. A well-rested mama is a happier, more patient mama. At least that seems to be the case for me.
4) My kids watch me set, work toward and meet goals. If I say I'm going to go out for a 16-mile run, that's what I do. If I say I'm going to sign up, train for and complete a full marathon? Well, it's going down, dude. My kids are still pretty young, but I think setting goals, putting in the long hours of preparation and then pushing myself to achieve these goals are good for them to witness.
5) Endorphins. They make everything better. If I haven't been physically active in a few days -- especially during the dark, dreary winter days here in the Midwest -- watch out! Short-fused, anxiety-ridden Michelle rears her ugly head. It's not pretty, folks.
6) It sets a good example for healthy living. Explaining to my kids the importance of exercise is great -- but if they don't see me following through with my own words of wisdom, it doesn't mean nearly as much.
7) It's one of the few things that connects me to my pre-kid self. Running is my thing. My body (wide shoulders, short torso, long limbs and small chest) may be generally awkward, but by golly, it was built for distance running. I'm good at it. It makes me happy. It allows me remember who I am as a person, and not just as a mom. This in turn, makes me a happier mom/person. Funny how that works, isn't it?
Of course, you could probably substitute the word “running” for a lot of things to make this list true. Zumba class, yoga, walking, biking, ballet, pole dancing. Whatever floats your boat.
The point is, do something that makes you happy and don’t feel guilty about it. Because a happy mama is a better mama in so many ways.
What makes you a better mom?
Share your thoughts!