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Twin Cities Mom Collective

The Little Gym and the Role of Mother {Sponsored Post}

{Twin Cities Moms Blog has partnered with The Little Gym for this sponsored post.  We love this business and all that it offers to moms and kiddos!  Read on for more info}

The Little Gym and the Role of Mother {Sponsored Post} | Twin Cities Moms Blog

We have entered into a fun age-stage in our house hold.  Picnic lunches, bikes in the driveway, neighbor play dates and hours at the park. For the first time in my motherhood career, I have felt a bit of freedom in this season of life. The girls are old enough that I don’t have to hover over them. I trust their climbing ability (enough) at the park and they have learned a fair amount of social skills to initiate games on their own. I relish in this freedom. It has taken me 5+ years to “sit on a bench” for at least 2 consecutive minutes.

With that being said, I feel as if my role has shifted from “entertainer” to “server.” The demands have increased, no one seems to be able to get their own Kleenex and pajamas are just too hard to put on themselves. I’m all about being a helper, a good example of caring for others, but somehow we have crossed the line recently in our household.  We have hit a little snag as we all figure out our roles for this next stage of family life.

Well…Franny, my 2yr old, had the opportunity to attend a class at The Little Gym. We were excited about a new adventure, ready to play, but didn’t really know what to expect. Big sister Maxie usually gets to try out the new and exciting things first while Franny sits on the sidelines. I was excited for this role reversal.

While talking to the staff prior to our class, they asked about my expectations for the morning. What was I hoping to get out of this class, what was I hoping my child would experience? I honestly didn’t really think about it before I was asked. I said something along the lines of letting my 2nd child experience some things on her own, taking direction from other adults, learning positive interaction with others. All that sounds nice right? A good goal right? Well, I received more then I bargained for that morning.

Intentionality was present in every detail. It went beyond entertainment or exercise. Every song or activity had a purpose (often more than one) and it was as much for the parents as it was for the children.

From the start of the class, the teacher stressed the importance of the parents modeling directions and skills for our kids. All play was interactive. I crawled on the floor and roared like a dinosaur. Then Franny crawled on the floor and let out a better “roar” than I did. Having a teacher take the lead allowed me to switch roles for a bit and simply be a participant with my daughter. There were times I showed her my tricks, then there were times where she could show me her tricks. Interaction with other kids was not forced, it came naturally. Exploration wasn’t forced, it was an instinct. I was told before class to allow my child to wander or play on the equipment rather than make her sit and listen. Initially, I found this odd (why would I bring her to a group class and then let her miss it?). However, this was some of the best advice. We went through the whole class without me directing or scolding her in any way. She wandered for about 12 seconds and then realized she didn’t want to miss out on the activity and returned on her own.

The Little Gym and the Role of Mother {Sponsored Post} | Twin Cities Moms Blog

The first words out of Franny’s mouth at the end were “I don’t want to go home.” Success! She had a fun morning of climbing, pretending, singing, interacting, learning physical skills and listening skills, playing instruments and bubble popping. However, I think this class had an even greater impact on myself. It reminded me how to play again. This doesn’t mean I have to sit for hours beading or decorating Hello Kitty color sheets. It also doesn’t mean that I have to be the entertainer in constant interaction with my girls. But it does mean that I can be more intentional in my relationship with my girls. Even in the simplest of activities (chores) I can use these skills I learned at class. It was a good reminder at how to not be a nag.  It also reminded me how proud I am of my daughter. Not at what she can do, not at how she performs, but how proud I am for who she is.

The Little Gym and the Role of Mother {Sponsored Post} | Twin Cities Moms Blog

It was a very refreshing learning experience. I still have more goodies to ponder. And…I just have to say I’m so thankful for people who are skilled and passionate about teaching in this arena.

Thanks to The Little Gym for this opportunity and for a chance to bust out of our routine rut. We now have a new approach to our daily activities and interactions and I’m excited to learn more.

(And a little shout out to The Little Gym: they sent Franny a postcard after her class. Personalized mail is about the greatest thing ever to a toddler!)

The Little Gym and the Role of Mother {Sponsored Post} | Twin Cities Moms Blog

 

The LIttle Gym

 

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4 comments

Melissa Oprish September 10, 2014 at 7:00 AM

We tried this a while back and I have been wanting to see how my 2.5 year old would enjoy it now that she’s a little older…I’m so happy to hear about your experience! And a great reminder to let our kids be who they are…thank you;)

Reply
Honja September 10, 2014 at 7:59 AM

Thanks Melissa! Yeah, the age when they feel they are independent (but you really can’t trust them with much on their own) can be tough…so this was a good place for her to just run and explore on her own.

Reply
Alyssa Theisen September 10, 2014 at 12:23 PM

Hi Honja, I saw your name and realized we went to wooddale together back in the day! I couldn’t find any contact info for you. If you could email me I’ve got a quick question for you!

Reply
Karri September 12, 2014 at 3:19 PM

Intentionality…such a great word. Great post Honja. We loved our class at TLG too.

Reply

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