Someone asked me the other day what’s it like to be a parent. To which I responded:
“About 90% of the time, it’s pretty awesome. The other 10? It’s pretty much the worst college road trip ever with people that make Dr. Jeckyl seem like Dr. Seuss.”
Other than that, it’s a great job. Well, unless you’re good with the rules of engagement changing every second. There’s also the whole “that’s not how Saint Mommy does it” thing.
I’m an award-winning dad, yep, I’ve won an award for being a good parent (“Top Community Dad,” Building Peaceful Families). You’d think mommy’s minions would recognize the awesome paternal prowess that earned me said accolade.
Luckily, they don’t let me rest on my laurels. They are amazing at keeping it real by “informing me,” that’s not how mommy:
- Cuts a sandwich. Oh yeah, how about telling me how geometry affects moods before I give the triangle sandwich to the squares child and vice versa?
- Pours milk, there’s an art to this? That’s utterly ridiculous. See what I did there?
- The struggle is really my fellow father figures!
I’ve tried several times to inform my children, way before Saint Mommy was around, daddy non grata was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Life experience, which, oddly enough, he has applied to his child-rearing repertoire that seems to not only keep both kids alive but in a thriving state if you ask dear old dad.
And that’s where this post comes in handy. When my two-person QA committee has decided to exercise their executive veto shall we say, things can get a little tense. Enter a little PE 4 Parents and 10-minute muscles to restore a sense of sanity to the proceedings.
The easiest way for you to do this is by picking two exercises, setting a timer for 20 seconds of moving and: 10 of rest for 10 rounds. This gets you 5:00 minutes of exercise.
Doing this twice gives you 10 minutes of movement. It won’t put a gold medal around your neck (unless it’s one for surviving parenthood), but it will reset your sanity switch which is much more important!
Side Planks on the left and right are a nice way to hit the core and hips. Since kids always let parents go to the floor to exercise, rest, read, etc, this will totally work!
If you’ve got an exercise band, alternating pushing and pulling is another great way to use every muscle in your body in a short amount of time. This is one of my favorite ways to fit in fitness when I’m time crunched at home.
Exercise Band Step + Pull
Exercise Band Step + Press
Remember, the goal here is simple: get some movement in to recharge your brain batteries, not a “crushing it at home fit fam #Beastmode” bout of workout insanity.
When you use a basics work the best approach exercising at home, you stand a much better chance surviving “the shapes of wrath,” or any other opportunity to experience your kids snatching chaos from the jaws of tranquility!
