Jake on the penny horse
“May I pleassssseeeee ride the pony mommy? Pretty, pretty pleasssseee!” begged Jake as I stood digging through my already messy purse hoping to find a penny. Excitement covering his face, jumping up and climbing into the saddle. Plunk and the slow motion begins. It went on for literally three minutes.
I of course am standing there watching him thinking to myself “How exciting can it be when you are barely moving?” The excitement is in his imagination. He is on a farm trying to lasso cows or on the track racing to win the roses at the Derby. But I am still just standing in Meijers. Thinking to myself I am glad he doesn’t have the realization I do that he is moving in place and therefore not moving at all.
How many times do we feel like Jake all excited ready to ride then we get on the pony for the ride of a lifetime put in the penny and we just move in place not going anywhere? It feels like we are stuck spinning our tires in the same place day after day. We want to break free and try new things, accomplish new goals yet something holds us back and there we are in that same old rut and routine. Why is that?
Maybe it’s because we like the comfort of the routine, the rut feels secure and we just don’t have the energy to try anything new. Well, if we really want to unplug the pony from the wall, then we should take a chance and get on a real horse and learn to ride it. We don’t have to be stuck on the ride. Yes, we have responsibilities, children to raise, spouses to support, jobs to keep etc.. That doesn’t mean we can not carve out a little time here or there to learn something new or try something we have always wanted to attempt. Before you were married or had children did you dream of what it would be like, all the things you wanted to do together with your spouse or on your own? Run a marathon, travel the world, learn how to paint, take kick box classes, learn a new language, take dance classes or learn to scuba dive? Being a parent does tend to put some dreams on hold but not all of them.
As your children begin to become a little more independent you can explore those dreams. When your children are little if you really plan and schedule you can attempt some of those dreams one at a time. Most grandparents are very willing to give a little babysitting for mom’s sanity to try something different a new exercise class, a book club they want to meet with or taking a short run. Spouses are really good at helping out if you approach them in a way that says “I love you and our family but please help me to find a small interest for myself outside of our children.”
As moms it is so easy to get stuck on that stationary bike when we really want to mountain bike the real trails. If you are motivated you can make it happen just little bits at a time are the key. Don’t try to realize every interest and dream just pick one thing and be happy to do it once a month, then once every two weeks. When you are there lose yourself in the activity and enjoy it.
So imagine like our children do on that pony where do you want to be and what do you want to do? Get off the pony, decide what you want to do for you, plan it schedule it then have fun with it. Moms are not prisoners, we do have freedom I think we just forgot how to manage it. Get off the pony. Take a small ride it’s a healthy and fun thing to do for yourself. It is good for your children to know you are having fun and the positive energy from it will rub off on them as well.
