I knew immediately after that race that it wouldn't be my last long distance triathlon. I had caught the bug. I wanted to register for races left and right, but unfortunately my bank account and triathlon weren't seeing eye-to-eye.
Triathlon is freaking expensive. Like "there goes your dream vacation" expensive. So, rather than be hasty, I promised J that I would register for any more races this year. I would just stick to the one sprint triathlon I had already registered for and maybe, I'd sign up for either the Richmond Half Marathon or 8K.
And that's what I did. For the remainder of 2012, my only races are Hood to Coast (with Nuun), the Patriots Sprint Triathon and the HCA VA 8K.
I should be excited by this. It's like a training reprieve. No need for monster workouts. No need to wake up at 4 a.m. to ensure everything gets done. It's awesome.
Except that it's not.
In actuality, I don't like training reprieves. And in complete honesty, I have been following a beginner 70.3 plan to train for my sprint. I figure if nothing else, I'll be super prepared.
It was the 4th?: I am a horrible mother.
I am the kind of mother who puts her children to bed at 6:30 EVERY.SINGLE.DAY. It doesn't matter if it is their birthday, New Year's Eve or even the Fourth of July. If it's 6:30, it's bedtime. The only time we ignore this rule is if we are in a situation which precludes bedtime from happening. Those situations are very rare.
So, yesterday, while everyone else was out celebrating the 4th, we had a low-key day. We stayed in bed until after 8 (yes, that's late for us), hung out and ended our day with a family feast. At 6:30, the girls went to bed. No fireworks. No parades. Nothing. Honestly, I'm not even sure that they knew that it was the 4th of July. And I am 100% sure that they have zero clue to what they are missing out on. But, just think of how excited they will be in a few years when I let them in on the secret ...
I'm hungry: My kids eat all the time. They are used to small meals and big (OK, numerous) snacks. They eat so much throughout the day that by the time dinner is served, they barely touch it. Suddenly, they no longer want to eat.
The excuse are awesome too.
"My tummy hurts."
"I don't like chicken and beans and salad, even though I eat them pretty much every day."
"I only like these things when they aren't mixed together."
"I hate pork. So what if it was my favorite food last week?"
"I did eat some. See?" *moves fork around plate*
"I'm allergic."
"I'm too tired to eat."
"If I eat too much I'll get sick."
"I'm full. Can I have dessert?"
Talk about frustrating. It's not like I prepare them toxic waste for dinner. Every single night, they get a home cooked meal, made from scratch. Nothing comes from a box. Nothing is heated up from a can. This is freaking good food I am making them. Yet, they scoff.
At my wits end, I instituted a new policy - Time regimented eating.
- Three meals and a snack at set intervals.
- You can eat as much or as little as you would like during these times, but you are not eating again until your next meal and you are ALWAYS going to eat at the table (we find food crumbs EVERYWHERE).
- If you are truly hungry between meals, then you can have any fruit or vegetable that you'd like. But you have to sit at the table to eat it. If that doesn't work for you, you can wait until your next meal.
Since implementing this policy, the girls have quit asking for food constantly. They really don't want to snack throughout the day if that means they have to sit at the table. And shockingly, they devour their meals and often ask for seconds. Amazing, I know.
16 comments:
My husband and I didn't do a darn 4th of July related thing yesterday. I sort of felt sad when I heard the fireworks of in the distance but then I reminded myself that it is 100 degrees outside and sitting in a crowd of hot, sweaty people does not sound like fun.
Good for you on the new food rules! I need to put this into place for myself. Let me know how it all works out for your family. Hopefully I get can a future kid on this same awesomeness.
Good plan with the snacking and meals. I don't think it's mean... I think it's smart! :) I actually need to implement it for myself. :)
Triathlon isn't going any where. You have plenty of time to do the expensive races. And yes, you will be totally prepared to kick the sprint's butt!
We didn't do anything 4th related either so don't feel bad! :)
I like the new plan. And, can you come cook healthy from scratch meals for me? Pretty please??
insert head nodding here. That's how I do it with the kids. If I let them snack away nobody wants to eat dinner. I especially don't do snacks after 3 pm or nobody wants to eat dinner. But my kids are early bed goers to. I cringe when people tell me their 3 year old goes to bed at 10pm and wakes up at 9am because that's how she rolls. Well school doesn't roll like that. wth. snort.
Our fireworks didn't start until 10:00. My kids were in bed by 8.
I might have to implement your eating plan. I'm so tired of making food ALL DAY LONG.
We have the same rule with bedtime - all of them are in bed at 9, even the 13 yr old, unless it's an incredibly extenuating circumstance.
We do the same with snacking, too - as much produce as they want, but that's it.
Gabby's favorite excuse to stop eating is "My stomach is tired of digesting." Is it. Is it really.
Love the new regimen. Of course somebody will read it and tell you that you shouldn't do that for this reason or that......keep to your guns as these are your kids and not theirs.
Dude, the beans...I can never get dried beans soft enough. I buy the cans...fail.
I do a mini fridge with snacks, each kid has a set number for the day and when they are gone...they are gone.
You must have black out blinds because if there is light in the sky my kids think their bedrooms are radioactive! I'd never even have soccer practice over at 6:30. But I'd love having "kid free" time in the evening, well kinda.
My kids don't free range when it comes to food. There are 3 meals, if you sleep in too much or don't leave your bedroom in time, you miss out. Then we do allow 2 -3 snacks but only 1 can be "junk food/sweets" type snack.
I think you would have a training plan even without a race on the horizon. But I know I run like I am training for something even if I don't have a race coming so it is completely normal behavior to me!
I wish I could get my kids to go to bed that early. Maybe not that early since I don't want to get up that early in the morning but jeesh even 9:00 where they are asleep instead of whispering to each other would be great!
I personally think #3 is a fantastic idea.
We have the same meal policy. Eat at the table during meal time, snacks at the table are fruit or yogurt. That''s it. I'm all about a regular bedtime too (7pm) and my kid is not overtired. Which means, he's generally not a hyper pain in the arse :) Quite cheerful!
Not to be picky, (I am a copy editor) but nine months left after April? April is out fourth month ...I had to read it five times ... I guess, though, if the race is the first week of the month.
What a great eating rule, I need to remember this once I have kids! :)
Oh and how about you create your own 70.3 race? Map out a swim, bike and run and prepare like it would be a race? Transition area in your drive way? Good luck!
Have you been peeking into my kitchen, because that's totally what my kids are like, too! However, I'm at home with them until August, so things have definitely become more structured around here. In fact, I think we made it through the day today with the kids only eating at the kitchen table, which is a Big Deal. Good luck with the implementation of the "mean" rules.
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