If we wanted, we could have an excuse for everything, but most of the time, our excuses don’t serve us well. In fact, excuses usually reveal where our priorities lie when it comes to how we spend our time, what we eat or when we can’t commit to something.
But what if we turned excuses around, and used them to benefit rather than hinder us?
As mums, sometimes even getting out of the house for anything is a mission, let alone doing something active and beneficial for your body as well. But what if we had good excuses that would at the same time do something that’s good for our health, our relationships and our mental wellbeing?
Here are six excuses to get out, get active and engage with your kids. Each of them are also great to do with another friend or two as well.
Getting out of the house like this is a great way to help your kids shed off their excess energy (read: no whining of being bored at home and a potentially earlier bedtime), and provide them—and you—with a lifelong habit of exercise. Not only will your kids thank you, but your body and mind will be grateful for making an excuse to get out and get active!
1. Find some stairs
Find a good set of stairs somewhere in the community and do a few rounds with the kids. Fifteen minutes or so is enough to kill you!
2. Pool = fun gym
Take the kids to the local pool, do some swimming and aqua-cise. It’s surprisingly a great kilojoule-burner!
3. Near a park?
Take the kids to a nearby park and use the equipment to do some exercises while they play. Or you could play chases or kick a ball around with them. Every time they tag you or score a goal, do 10 reps of an exercise.
4. Beach time
Take the kids to the beach and do beach sprints while they play in the sand.
5. Make a run “fun”
Join a walk-a-thon fundraiser and get the kids to participate with you.
6. Make tracks
Find a local walking track or lookout to visit and do the walk together.
Ten minutes every day is all you need to start on your journey to become fit and healthy.
