BOTH KID AND GROWNUP - HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?

So my oldest is twenty-three. Wow-I just can’t even. But I am trying to go with the flow and not even think about how old that makes me. He recently came home from the military and is in transition phase. He is waiting for his apartment lease start date and his job to begin again. So he is living with us-a discussion for another time. He runs frequently and likes to have a buddy. Enter his mama who just walks for a living.

“Hey Mom-why don’t you be my accountability partner so when I get up at 6:30AM every morning to run you can go with me but I know you will just walk because….” Here my kid stalls, not sure how to proceed. I help him out a bit. “Ummm….so you want me to go with you to town and you will run and I will walk? At 6:30 every morning?” He grins sheepishly, “Yes Mom, if you don’t mind.”

I ponder this information. Yes, I don’t mind walking. No, I don’t consider 6:30AM an acceptable time to get up in any culture. Yes, my oldest kid is asking me to do something with him (as opposed to for him). Yep-you guessed it. Mom feelings totally won. “Of course Kid! Let’s go tomorrow morning!”

I must admit I was not feeling any exercise love. Not even. We drove the two minutes it takes to get to town and parked the car. I walked and my younger, healthier, better self ran effortlessly. I passed him no less than three times in our morning journey. I have to be honest-none of these times did I see my twenty plus year old son. I saw my one plus year old son toddling toward me. And I got teary eyed. Moms-you get this, I just know you do.

We finished my walk and his run. He said, “Mom-you okay? You look a little flushed”. I said “Of course son-all good.” And it was. The three times we passed each other I saw my sweet, chubby, little man toddling toward me. And my heart leaped for joy. Which would explain the flushed face. Not at all that I’m out of shape and not used to walking. It’s the chubby little man.

I try to find a lesson to be learned in all my past deeds. I am proud to say I take every single stinking opportunity to hang out with my kids, even if I truly don’t like the activity. Maybe that’s my super power but I get that time spent with my kid doing something I don’t like is better than time not spent with my kid.

Please comment and let me know your thoughts on this post. Please share any experiences you’ve had hanging out with your child doing something that is not really your thing.