Running: We were a motely crew...

Roma. Getting ready for our run. Later, she ditched the cap. Too hot

 My son is amazing.  He is five, but does things and has ideas that I don't think a five year old should do or have.  I don't mean bad things, just things.  Like the other day as we were driving back to the house he kept pestering me to stop the van.  Finally, I did.  Slightly irritated I turned and asked him, "What? Do you want to walk to the house?"  His face got a little red and he said, "Yes.  Can I have your phone?"  What??  Well, it was for him to call me, of course, to tell me to slow down as I followed him in the van.  I stared at him open mouth and a little buggy-eyed. 

Shoes of choice. chucks. pumas. watersocks.

 Finally, we settled on him running ahead and me following behind in the van.  He wasn't kidding.  He wanted to run the rest of the way to the house.  A full half mile without stopping.  At one point, I pulled up beside him and he said, "Mom, I HAVE to make it all the way home."
Ok, baby boy, you do that...I'm right here.  Afterward, there was much hand clapping and high-fiving.  He did amazing.  Then, he told me we needed to do it again, but this time I had to run WITH him.  We set out on a three mile run/walk.  It was very hard, but he finished it.  A little tears and frustration but he wanted to try it again in a couple of days.

Yes, I am running and photographing.

 At one point, I let him push the stroller, and he did.  Right down a very steep embankment and into the bushes.  Roma was stunned, sitting face flush in the bush, Cylas was petrified and apologizing, kissing his baby sister and I was breathless worried that my baby girl was going to catapult headlong into that mess.  She was fine.
It took some elbow grease to get her up and out of there though.

Seconds before Cylas loses control of the stroller...into that thicket.

They say children imitate how their parents are.  If papa and mama pump iron, the little ones are more likely to gain an interest for that or for fitness, but if papa and mama are sitting, sedentary, munching chips gulping soda, and clicking on the keyboard all day long....well, hello, we all know what happens.  Too many children struggle with obesity, are pre-diabetic or have a multitude of health problems due to their weight.  A lot of parents are in denial or get too frustrated to try and change all the bad habits that have been created in the home.  

We aren't the perfect, healthy eaters but we eat very well-rounded.  We educate our children on which foods are good or bad and the effects it can have on the body.  Ask my five year old about McDonald's....he'll tell you why you shouldn't be eating it.  Seriously. 

He picked me a flower toward the last part of our run. He called it a sunflower because it was bright yellow.

This little running adventure gave me such a boost of confidence, that I AM doing the right thing and my children want to be healthy eaters and physically active like their papa and me. 

Silent cheerleaders, what are you doing with your children?  Have any cool habits or activities that you would like to share??