Toddler Dad » Columns » Exercising With Toddlers

By: Lisa Barker

I’ve been exercising (okay it’s only been twice—but I DID it!) to some of Richard Simmons' exercise videos.

Let me tell you. I thought I had it all worked out. I’d wait until anyone old enough to laugh at me had gone to school or work for the day, but noooooooooo. Were all my problems solved by that little strategy? Not on your life!

At first the toddlers happily plunked themselves on the sofa. I guess they thought we were going to watch a new movie.

Then the action started and they looked agog, then bewildered by my strange movements. What in the world is mom DOING?????

And then they started throwing obstacles in my path—sofa cushions, toys, the remote (as if to say, "Change the channel!") They even attacked my legs and tried to hold me still.

So being the devoted mom that I am…I put them in their room to play with a billion toys so I could do this little thing for myself for thirty minutes. Oh, the protests and the wails! What a terrible mom I am!

But I jiggled on, ignoring their pitiful cries…even ignoring the phone.

And when I was done, I’d successfully sweat buckets and had the old heart pumping nicely.

The next day I tried again. Immediately, the kids cried out when they saw the little man with the puffy 'do.' He was NOT as motivating to my toddlers as he apparently was to the group exercising with him. My one-year-old quickly turned off the television.

I turned it back on.

"Spob," I was told, which translates to SpongeBob.

"No Spob. Momma needs to exercise."

So the other grabbed the remote and managed to change the channel...to The Wiggles. And then THEY started dancing around in front of the television. "Move over, Mom. This is how it's done!"

Yet again another mom in the universe is dated by her children, and her choice in music, or in this case exercise program, is relegated to the OLDIES pile. Gee, I bet Richard Simmons never thought of his exercise routine in that fashion. But, it's true! Next to The Wiggles, who can really work up a sweat of their own, Richard is an oldie.

So much for the video, Mr. Simmons! Today we're going to "point our fingers and do the twist...then we're gonna go up and back down get back up and turn around...can you point your fingers and do the twist?"

Yes, I can! Apparently, if Momma wants to exercise while the Wiggles play, then she can exercise all she wants!

So now the toddlers and I are in sync. And it's working into our daily routine pretty well. I'd write more, but right now I have to 'do the monkey, elephant and tiger,' right after I dance with hot potatoes, mashed bananas and cold spaghetti.

About the Author
For more laughs visit http://www.jellymom.com . Interested in using Lisa's columns in your publication or website? Contact Lisa at LisaBarker@jellymom.com and ask about a free six-month trial.