On a whim today, I took my 5 (and almost a half!) year old daughter with me to walk. I've been longing to walk outdoors but it's been tough to figure out when to fit that into my schedule. When a window of opportunity opened right before lunchtime, off we went.
Near my house is a 3.5 mile route that circles a golf course. It begins with a long, gradual descent and then after some flat ground, winds back up through a series of steep switchbacks. As you walk, you can see the Puget Sound and, on a clear day like today, the snow-covered Olympic mountains. The temperature was a comfortable 48 degrees.
I've walked this route before, but never with a five-year old. She enjoys the robust health of a child who eats when she's hungry, stops when she's full and runs around like a puppy most of the day. I had high hopes for her endurance.
We began and she said, "Oh, I'm so tired!"
Then, as we're descending the long hill, "Can we race?"
I promised to race her along the flat areas, so she ran while I chased her along the flatter, middle part of the route. She ran for a long time, never even breathing hard.
Then she said, "I'm tired," and plopped down on the sunlit ground . . . for about thirty seconds.
Midway up the switchbacks, she asked me to carry her. I refused and instead, held her hand. She pulled herself along with my hand. My elbow felt like a bowling ball was attached to my fingers.
Then, when we reached the crest, she said she would NEVER walk this long walk again. By then, we'd finished all but a mile, I'd guess.
I carried her on my back for awhile, but as it turns out, carrying an extra forty pounds around hurts my lower back. (Imagine that! And I used to carry around 55 more pounds all the time.)
Our walk took a little more than an hour. I thoroughly enjoyed the fresh air, the sunshine, the hilarity of a five-year old's conversation.
She, however, says she'll never do that again. (I bet she will, though.)
I just love doing things like that with my little one too. Enjoy!
Posted by: Cindy (aka kini) | February 20, 2008 at 03:05 AM
SO cute! Sounds like the perfect walking partner. There is nothing like seeing your regular routine through the eyes of a 5 yr old!
Posted by: Christine | February 20, 2008 at 07:49 AM
Oh, to be able to go outside for a walk. We are all desperate for spring in MI. It is so darn cold. Tonite's low 4.
In my mind I just took a walk with you. Ahhhhhhh! To smell fresh 50 degree weather.
Posted by: Marianne | February 20, 2008 at 08:21 AM
We walk a lot. We live about a block from the National Forest and love to hike in the summer up in the mountains. The younger two are old enough now for longer hikes. It's so nice to get outside. Of course now that I've said that we'll get a foot of snow tomorrow and the weekend will be sub zero, but spring is coming. Eventually.
Posted by: Cheri | February 20, 2008 at 10:11 AM
Oh how familiar this sounds to me! Two years ago (April 2006) when I started my weight loss journey, I would take my three kids--a girl 9, and two boys 8 and 5--to a nearby state park to "hike". As a single mom, I needed a "cheap" gym, and that sufficed. We would pack healthy snacks--water bottles, carrot sticks and low fat, sugar free graham crackers--for our trip. I learned very quickly, however, that my youngest (who can run circles in the living room for hours without sitting down, let alone getting tired) would claim fatigue and sore legs and give up halfway through. So, we started using the snacks as an impetus to keep him going.
After the baby comes (six weeks and counting down!), I plan to take each of the three older children on a walk alone with me after school. They crave one on one time with me, and I crave the company when I walk. I also plan on hitting the Y on Monday and Wednesdays while they are at school with my hubby. I figure with this plan, I may get back to my goal weight before Christmas after all!
PS. We are planning to spend Christmas somewhere tropical as all of the five older children will be spending the holiday with their other parent!
Posted by: Ceci | February 20, 2008 at 01:39 PM
you're progress is great!
Posted by: amma15 | February 21, 2008 at 11:33 AM
Your daughter is 4 1/2 and weighs 40 pounds?!? My grandson will be 2 in March and weighs 39!!! And to think I'm picking him up who knows how many times in a day?! I think this kid is going to grown to be 7' 10" tall, haha! Well, as much 'weight lifting' as I do in a day at the age of 54, I shouldn't have to worry much about osteoporosis!
Posted by: MissKris | February 22, 2008 at 07:12 PM
Ooooooops...I just realized I typed in 4 1/2 instead of 5. Sorry!
Posted by: MissKris | February 22, 2008 at 07:13 PM