I’m Torturing my Kids

Last updated on: April 27, 2011 at 1:03 pm by Kathy Tuan-MacLean

I’m Torturing my Kids 2011-04-27T13:03:00-04:00 Kathy Tuan-MacLean

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

My 2 younger kids claim I’m abusing them. Is it because I’m forcing straight As or piano lessons or some other Tiger Mom stricture? Is it because I’ve decided to go vegan on them and expunged the house of chocolate and junk food?

Nope.

I signed them up for swim team and am forcing them to exercise.

Yesterday the whining started 2 hours before swimming even began. It got so bad that both parents lost it before almost forcibly carting these kids off to the Y. When Scott told me I needed to pick them up, it felt like he sentenced me to my own version of hell.

But when they bundled into the van, despite a few complaints, they were relatively calm and in a good mood (for them). They’ll never admit it, but 2 hours of working out made them feel better, inside and out. And that’s why I’m going to enforce exercise in their lives until they leave our home.

Today is my father-in-law’s 90th birthday and he looks at least 20 years younger than his age. My mother-in-law turns 81 in June, and she also looks at least 20 years younger. They’re vigorous and active. The secret? They exercise.

My kids get this anti-exercise lethargy from my side. My C+ in sophomore PE was the only C that was acceptable in my family. Even though I took advantage of free dance classes at Northwestern, did Jane Fonda videos, and even took up running at various points between birthing kids, I exercised when it fit into my schedule and sometimes it didn’t fit for weeks and months at a time.

When I married Scott, he lectured me, “You put eating, sleeping and exercise in your schedule first, then fit everything else in!”

But I didn’t.

Then I got gestational diabetes with my 3rd pregnancy and had to prick my finger 4 times a day to test my blood sugar. I had to go on the diabetic diet and gained 10 pounds less than I had with the 2 previous pregnancies. After Ren’s birth, the endocrinologist said I have a 60% chance of Type 2 diabetes unless I keep my weight down and exercise 4-5 times a week.

6 months later, Scott signed me up for the gym, knowing I’m so cheap I’d never pay a monthly fee and not go. And because I really don’t want to get diabetes or waste money, I’ve pretty much exercised 4-5 times/week without fail for the past ten years.

My mental health now needs my workouts. I actually crave vigorous exercise if I don’t get it. And despite being in the top 1% of allergic people and having a kidney disease, other than my killer allergies (which are hitting right now), I rarely get sick.

There are many lessons I hope our kids will learn from us, but the discipline of regular exercise feels non-negotiable. So the 2 younger ones are swimming and Ling’s on the track team.

I’m praying that at some point in the next few months Kai and Ren will make the connection between swimming hard and feeling good. Until then, don’t be surprised if I write about DSS coming to call with the yelling, screaming and even tears each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

With all the chaos, I just might call DSS myself.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

April 26, 2011

The Last of the Typewriters

Next Post

April 28, 2011 Loving Students

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month January 2015 November 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 October 2010 May 2010 April 2010 February 2010 January 2010 October 2009 September 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What famous prayer did Jesus teach His followers?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The Lord’s Prayer The Shema Psalm 23 The Prayer of Jabez