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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

If You Want to Run with Mama

After the 3 day running hiatus, I was ready to run last night, so after Caleb was in bed, I got in my running clothes and prepared to head out.  I wanted a solo run, but as soon as I put my hand on the doorknob, Norah demanded that she accompany me.

*Sigh*

Okay.

So, she climbed into the stroller, and we headed out.

Half a block into the run, Norah began with "I want out, I want out, I want out!"  Like any good mother, I ignored her, and her chatter switched gears to the two principle subjects pre-schoolers discuss: Everything and Nothing.

After a mile, her chatter circled back to her initial demand: "I want out!"

Now, there have been recent runs in which I have earned my Mom Halo by allowing her to get out and run with me for a half mile or so.  It's cute, and it's good exercise for her, but it's not any kind of run for me.  Last night, though, I wasn't in the mood to be so generous; instead, I was in selfish-runner mode and I just wanted to be able to get "my" run.  So, I firmly told her: "Norah, if you want to run with Mama, you have to sit in the stroller.  There's no getting out."

The last part is, I'm sure, the motto of the modern penitentiary system.

She got the hint and piped down.  Soon, it occurred to me that she was being rather quiet, so I peeped in and...lo and behold, she'd crashed out!  It was a gloriously quiet last part of my run.

Would've been even better if she'd transferred into bed once we'd gotten home, but alas, you can't have everything...



10 comments:

fancy nancy said...

I'm so glad I'm not the only ignorer!! I too make up rules so that I can get some sane miles in!! Jess I'm so glad you're back!!!

Amy said...

Oh I used to just roll the jogger into my kids bedrooms and let them sleep :-) I run in the mornings so we are talking naps not bedtime but still. Oh and I let my toddlers run at the beginning of the ride - only. We had a rule you have to be in the stroller at x point and then you stay in.

James said...

That's cute that you've let her out and run with her before. Yeah, it doesn't do anything for your running, but it's great for the kiddos. On National Running Day, a few weeks ago, we did a family 1.5 mile run. My 7 year old had a blast, but my 4 year old grumbled through it, complaining that his feet hurt. Not 30 minutes later, the two of them were racing back and forth having a grand old time.

TNTcoach Ken said...

Motha of the year award!!! HA

B. Kramer said...

New running gear for moms: duct tape. Got a yappy kid? Just apply a small amount of this handy tool to the child's mouth and - voila! - blessed silence. Your footfalls will easily drown out the resulting murmurs. Cheers!

BrianFlash said...

I think you can end any thought of her wanting to go running. All you have to do is let her out when she wants out and then run off. :)

Crissy Rae said...

hee hee! this was a funny one. at least she fell asleep and you got to enjoy the rest of your run. Too cute!

Mom, inc. said...

well played, jess!

Melissa said...

Fellow ignorer here! Running with my daughter in the stroller usually involves promises of the playground afterwards these days.

Shellyrm ~ just a country runner said...

My little guy has started demanding to go with me on runs since we have been in VA. I think it is a change of environment/routine issue. Even though he knows sometimes I go when it is blistering hot, he will insist! And he sits happily during it but when it is in the 90s I don't want to push the extra weight or be out there longer and have the other people I encounter give me that "you terrible mother!" look. But I am happy that he now likes going. But I remember the days of ignoring his requests, "run with you now?"