Who Is Watching You?

Setting a Silent Example for Children with Fitness

I started teaching aerobics and spin classes when I was in my early 20s. I haven’t stopped my fitness journey since then, even through raising my three daughters, who are now sixteen, eighteen, and twenty. In the early years as a mom, it didn’t occur to me that I was setting a silent example for my daughters with my passion for exercise. 

For most children, their parents’ careers are far-off ideas, not a huge part of their daily life. I taught fitness through all three of my pregnancies. With my first, I taught up until one week before her birth. Of course, I had all of that youthful not-a-mom-yet energy! And then, when she was three months old, I started getting back into things by subbing the odd class, but still getting into the gym for regular workouts. 

At the time, getting to the gym was often my “big outing” for the day with the baby. It was so important to both of us! It felt so good to move my body again, and have the time to myself while she was in the childminding room. For her, she got used to being around other people. She met new adults and children in the childminding room, and learned that it was okay to be apart from Mom for short periods of time. It was so positive for us that I continued to teach classes and bring all three of my daughters to the gym with me.  

Make An Active Lifestyle a Normal Lifestyle

Yes, fitness is my career, and it was an amazing benefit that my job had childminding on site. But my daughters also saw their dad keeping active. My husband sometimes would join in my classes or hit the weights while I worked. He also did his own thing, taking part in hockey and Tae Kwon Do. This active lifestyle was normal for us; and our daughters thought it was normal behaviour for everyone!

I don’t think that I realized the impact we were having until one day, our daughter asked her friend if she went to the gym with her mom, too. The other little girl was so confused! She had no idea what my daughter was talking about. As they got older, my girls would ask when they could start participating, too. They liked to come watch bits of my classes, lay on the reformers, or swing on the TRX’s.  

As they got older, the girls would joke about how I always eat seeds, and how I was crazy to run marathons or ride my bike 120+ km. They poke fun, but I know they are proud. They have always been there to cheer me on, just as I cheer them on now in their activities. 

Children Learn What They See

My daughters might poke fun at me, but our active lifestyle has most certainly influenced them. Yes, when they were young, I introduced them to all sorts of activities – dance, soccer, whatever they showed an interest in. As they got older, though, they were the ones choosing to continue with sports. They chose to join school teams. And they just recently chose to be part of the eight person relay run we participated in. It was 10km per person, totalling an 80km journey. 

Of course, I always try to be at our girls’ games and dance recitals. But during those weekly practices or lessons, where I have a few hours to kill, I might squeeze in my workout or go for a run. They are active, Mom is active. They learn what they see. 

I didn’t start off exercising, teaching fitness, or running marathons because of my daughters. But once I realized how much my actions (and my husband’s!) were positively affecting them, the more I wanted to continue with these good habits. Seeing us be active made them think that physical activity was just something people did, and then they went out and did it themselves. 

Set Your Own Example – On Your Own Time

I realize that my situation is unique – not many parents make fitness the focus of most of their days. But you can model healthy habits for your children on a much smaller scale. By making your health and fitness a habit, your children will see you: 

• Make time for yourself
• Face and overcome challenges
• Make fitness an integral part of your life
• Try new things
• Reach big goals
• Be happier
• Be healthier 

A great way to commit to fitness is by joining a program, or buying a package of classes. If it is hard for you to make regular classes, or if you have young children at home, at-home workouts can be a blessing. The b.PILATES & FITNESS app offers a variety of classes for just $15 a month (with a free 7 day trial). 

I started my health and fitness journey for me, but I have continued for my daughters. After all, they are always (always) watching.