Setting an Example

Do you ever stop to think who's watching? Who's listening? And who's mimicking your every move? If you are a parent, I feel confident in saying that your children are paying more attention than you may think. 

This past Saturday, I participated in a small local 5K, along with many of my Get Movin'! Fitness class participants. A couple days before the race, my 7 year old daughter, Elle, informed me that she wanted to run the race too. Concerned that 3.1 miles would be a bit much for her first race, I did everything BUT tell her no. I explained that if she did it, she would have to do it by herself because I was running my own race. I told her it was going to rain. I told her she would have to get up so early. I told her it was far. Still, she wanted to do it. 

Friday evening we drove the course to prepare her for each turn. I explained that the course wasn't closed and that there would still be cars on the road so she would need to stay as close to the edge of the road as possible and that there would be times that she would have to cross traffic , therefore, she needed to make sure the crossing guards knew (1) she was racing and (2) she was coming across! After all that, still, she wanted to do it. Hesitantly, I agreed.

Saturday morning, she was ready! She got up, got dressed, and still, she wanted to do it. When it came time to line up, she was right there near me. The horn blew......"see yeah later" I said, and off I went.

The next 37 minutes, was filled in by my husband, who drive to various spots in the race to make sure she was fine. His first encounter with her was just a few tenths into the race, the movie theater. She ran up to him, with tears in her eyes, and said she wasn't sure she wanted to run the race! After a couple minutes of "inspiring wisdom" from daddy and Elle seeing a friendly face heading her way, she decided to get back at it. My husband continued to follow her throughout the course, having to give her water several times along the way. Finally, when she made her second to last turn, my husband returned to the finish line to allow her to finish it out on her own. I had just finished, and actually, the way the course is laid out, Elle, was right across the creek. 

The next 12 minutes seemed like an eternity. The big question of whether she would finish or not was just eating at me. Then someone screamed, "Here she comes"! Bless her heart! When she made it to the finish line there were tears in her eyes. She's was overwhelmed with the crowd cheering and her first words were "I am never doing this again"! 

It was a great race. Elle's official time was 37:39 and mine was 25:23, my personal best! At first I was surprised that Elle wanted to run the race, but then, it came to me, of course she would. Our children are a product of what we teach them. I may make many mistakes in parenting, but when it comes to a healthy, active lifestyle, I must be doing something right! 

Oh, and by the way, the little girl that NEVER wants to do it again, can't wait until next year...