Thursday, November 10, 2011

If Someone Offers Help, Say Yes!

My husband has always been incredibly supportive of my interest in fitness. While he's not always on board with my adventures in healthy cooking (he draws the line at meatless meals) he will never criticize me for wanting to run or work out. Even though it seems he's never home, when he is he will watch the kids if I want to work out. I'll admit, if he is actually home in the evening I typically will forgo working out so we can have family time. But if he's home in the morning and I know he's had a decent amount of sleep, I will leave the kids behind and get my sweat on. At the very least, he never complains.

Dreadmill. Better than Nada.
I made a sacrifice this week. Driving my son to school and walking to class with him is my favorite part of the day. However, my husband's schedule had him home at a reasonable hour the last few nights. Usually I let him sleep in and try to get my kids ready in the morning as quietly as possible so as not to disturb him. But this week I think I am feeling the after-effects of the Halloween candy and just felt I needed to step things up a notch. He offered to drive Monkey to school the last two mornings and I jumped at the chance to use the treadmill that is not quite a lovely decorative feature in our bedroom. Earlier in the week, Monkey stayed home sick from school so I took advantage of the time I would normally spend driving him and went for an icy-cold outdoor run.  That means, my friends, I exercised 3 times this week before work. And I plan to fit in a work out tomorrow morning too! I feel happy about it and its just what I needed...but realistically I know this won't happen every week.

On Tomorrow's Agenda
My husband has offered several times, even during weeks where he wasn't home early, to drive Monkey to school once a week so that I can go for a run. I usually feel guilty and just let him sleep. It doesn't help that Monkey always tells me he'd rather that I take him to school. But I'm starting to think I should take him up on the offer. Maybe on a Tuesday or Wednesday, since I typically work out Friday through Sunday. He wouldn't be offering if he really didn't want to do it.

Do you ever have a hard time accepting help? I remember being like this after my babies were born too. I have a natural tendency to try to "do it all."

5 comments:

  1. The answer to your question is yes! Why do we feel like 1. we have to do it all and 2. we can do it all? Take him up on his offer. Consider it daddy and Monkey bonding time :) And don't feel guilty!

    Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  2. I always feel that way when my husband offers help around the house. You should take him up on it though, he wouldn't ask if he didn't want to. Besides, he might enjoy the time he gets taking your son to school.

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  3. Do it, take him up on the offer. If you're not happy with time away from your little monkey, you can always just stop the morning workouts.

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  4. I hope this doesn't sound bossy. I mean for it to be helpful. I'm older and I have teenagers now and I feel like sharing things I had to learn for myself with you.

    It's so important for your husband to build a relationship with your child too. He needs to feel needed and wanted and helpful in that regard. He can't do that if you don't give him the chance to. And accept that his way of handling your child will be different than your way, and your little Monkey has to get used to that as much as you do. You need time for yourself to be that much more invigorated to be a wife and a parent. No need to be a martyr.

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  5. Kristin, not bossy at all. I know you are right!

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