Don’t you just love lazy winter Sunday mornings? No alarms, no urgency, just relaxing. Easing into the day, enjoying a lay in. Frost on the window panes, a steaming cuppa on the side with the radio on and the Sunday papers waiting for you on the door mat.
Wondering if you’ll pop out to the cinema later, or maybe to that new Italian restaurant, or perhaps meet some friends for a beer or two… meanwhile – back in the real world!
So, the kids are up, even earlier than a school day, and jump onto my bed. I stifle an urge to swear loudly, as the biggest lands on my shins and digs his elbow into my groin. Within 30 seconds they are all at it, 3 kids plus 2 adults is not a sum that equals 1 bed. I admit defeat and get (pushed) out.
As I fling on some clothes hoping they are mine and not inside out (remember when getting dressed took more than 14 seconds?) and look at the 4 remaining in the bed, I realise I definitely have the better deal. To be honest, if I have to read that damn Maisy Mouse book once more I fear I may have a breakdown.
Thankfully now we have a goal. A target to aim for on a Sunday. Something to motivate at least 2 of the kids to stop arguing and eat breakfast without kicking each other under the table. Yes – this reward comes in the form of Junior Parkrun! Yeah, I know. Why they are quite so keen to run around a wet field in near freezing conditions is slightly confusing. However, they love it, and good for them.
I have a feeling the motivation isn’t entirely the physical and mental boost from an early morning blast of cardio. The promise of a hot chocolate afterwards is I’m sure a rather large and juicy carrot in this case.
The newly launched Junior Parkrun occurs every Sunday at 9am on ‘Ten Acre Field’ (behind Rhea the horse…). It’s free and fun. So if like me, by 8:30am on a Sunday it already feels like it should be bedtime, why not use this amazing event to add some early structure to the day. If you’re feeling really pumped, you can always run alongside your energised kids… well, for as long as you can keep up!
Yes, Sunday mornings are unrecognisable from 10 years ago. I can’t even really recall what they were like then? But I am pretty sure they didn’t involve any of the above. That said, I wouldn’t change it for the world… well apart from the ‘elbow in the groin’ bit.
