Today was the first day I have ventured back to the gym since I joined this summer. When I joined LA Fitness I was concerned that taking the kids to the "Kids Korner" would be a problem. I didn't know how they would do since we never really drop them off anywhere. When I talked to the ladies that run the Kids Korner room at our gym they said that the kids always cry at first, but the best thing to do is to come consistently to the gym so that they get used to it. So, that is what I did......for 2 weeks. It was heartbreaking for the first week. They cried and cried and the poor ladies in there just had to hold my kids the whole time while the other kids ran around them. This was just starting to get better and then one day they didn't cry anymore. So, naturally, when everything was going just great, I quit coming to the gym. I got really tired because I started a new school year and took on way to many responsibilities. I literally don't think I have been to the gym in 5 months. However, on of my goals of staying home was to get the kids out more and used to being independent from me, even if it is only for an hour while I am working out.
So, when I ventured back into the gym today, I got my due. I knew it would be bad because I haven't taken them for so long. As soon as Ana, this is usually the woman who holds Jaelyn the entire time, saw me walk through the door, she said, "If you can wait 5 minutes Suelynne will be in to help me so I can take them from you." She knew it was going to be bad and this was my first sign. Kaden was besides himself. He was slobbering and sobbing and had his entire body wrapped around me, begging me not to leave him. I felt like the worst mom in the world. Jae was hanging onto my leg. When Suelynne came in she pried Kaden off me. He was flailing and arching and screaming. Ana had take Jaelyn at this point and walked off into the distance and i could see her wet, red little face with her arms reaching for me. I felt so guilty as I went into the class I was taking. I wrestled with leaving them throughout the class, when I was distracted by the incessant pain coming from someone who hasn't taken a class in 5 months. At first, I was thinking, this was bad of me, is my work out really so important that I left my son while he was in a panic and out of control.
After I beat myself up about this for a while, I started looking at the bigger picture. Fact 1) They need to get used to being dropped off and away from me at some point. Fact 2) They need to be able to play among other kids. Fact 3) I am sure I will need a break from the twins eventually after being around them 24/7, and this is an excellent solution. Fact 4) Other kids in there where not crying and having a good time, which means eventually they will probably like it there. So by the end of this butt kicking class, i had come to the conclusion that I am going to move forward with my plan to get them used to coming to Kids Korner at the gym. As I made my way into Kids Korner to pick them up. I saw them playing and laughing together with Ana. They were happy to see me, but not in the desperate way that I expected. Ana informed me, that they had cried for no more than 5 minutes and then they were fine and playing nicely. I asked them if they had fun, and they said yes and I asked them if they wanted to come back another time to play here and they said yes.
So I beat myself up over it all and felt so guilty, and it was all okay in the end. I am really, I didn't give into my feelings of me being the selfish one to go and work out. I think they will be happy and I think they are more ready for this now than they were this summer.
Great story Amanda. Good experience for all three of you.
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