I have a particularly energetic little 5 year old boy. I think that I am being accurate when I say "particularly energetic"- I do have 2 other little boys you, know, and he definitely has them beat.
If he doesn't expend some energy before school starts, he is hopping in place doing his math.
But it is hard to fit it in. Basically, if I take him on a run I have two other kids to lug with me. Same with bike rides. So I am trying to get creative.
Yesterday we went to the dirt lot and found a dead mouse. One day soon we are going to go hang out in the ditch across from our house. I need to be more proactive about getting him down to the cul-de-sac and letting him ride around and around and around. I am planning to let him run with me on the track at the Y and get him into the pool 3 times a week.
My mom says I will only make him stronger.
And maybe I will. All I know is that the backyard - though it is great - doesn't cut it. He needs larger open areas.
So I time him as he runs down the street.
And I find trees for him to climb.
And Monkey bars for him to conquer.
And arrange for sword fights and wrestling with dad.
But he really needs more.
Like a farm. With a barn. And a dog. And manual labor.
Maybe someday.
Until then I will be finding ways to keep him running. Like a little hamster on a wheel in a cage. Or something like that.
Any of you have boys? How do you get them active?
2 comments:
I love the manual labor part! So true! I just told Ethan today as I had he and Elijah help me bring in all the acorn squash and pumpkins from the garden that survived last night's frost that, "hard work build's character." Hopefully someday you guys will have larger open spaces with which to move and expend energy. I've taken to making laps around the house as part of Ethan's physical education. Dodging chicken poo counts as hurdles, doesn't it? He also loves to bike up and down the 400 ft. gravel (dirt) driveway. We are blessed too with a large open basement and they have various cars they can ride down there as well as space to run and move in the winter.
i've always told my husband that when our youngest is 7 or 8, we need to get a farm... i've imagined having an old barn that could be an inside play area for them - swingset and all!! so even if it's snowing or raining, they can go play "outside"
for now, i get my workhorses to do a lot around here - they vacuum, fold the laundry, put the laundry away, wipe off the table.
i love to chase them and throw them on the couch. we play a "launch" game where they stand on the edge of the couch, i count to 3, they bend their knees and jump while i hold under their pits and launch them onto the couch - they love it!
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