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Parental Push-ups
Getting Through the Rugged Toddler Years
By Diane Lane
Without consulting my advisors, I introduced the horsey-on-the-legs routine, which remained popular with my rapidly growing son. Not so difficult with a 15-pounder but a whole different scenario at 25 pounds. We soon progressed to toddler walks that began with him riding his new tricycle or scooter and ended with me hauling the toy back home. I soon realized that those episodes were nothing but warm-up exercises for the walks back home, carrying both my boy and his trike.
Soon, my toddler learned to play catch. Unfortunately, this coincided with the annual monsoons, so I opted to throw a soft object to him indoors. He proceeded to throw it behind the couch, under the table, behind the refrigerator, under the bed – anywhere I had to crawl, twist, fold or mutilate myself to repeatedly retrieve the object. I wish someone had told me to use yoga exercises as preparation for this activity. I'm sure that learning to wrap my legs around my neck would have enabled me to successfully play catch with a 2-year-old.