I decided to throw all caution to the wind and take my kids to the gym daycare. Now that my oldest no longer naps, I need a block of time where I can workout without constant interruptions. The gym daycare seemed like the perfect solution. I could enjoy my favorite spin class and my kids could play with some different toys.
Unfortunately, it was a FAIL all around.
Here is how it played out:
*Five minutes before spin class started, I was told that my youngest had not stopped crying. She said she would give me 10 more minutes and if he could not pull it together, we would have to try again another day. (Translation: “get your screaming, hysterical child out of here!”)
*Spin class starts. Great music with my favorite instructor. I close my eyes and start pedaling. Inside my head I am screaming “please kid, just let me have this one class!”
*Starting to sweat and beginning to think I’m in the clear. If they do need me, maybe she won’t want to interrupt class. Just maybe this is going to work…..
*Feel the tap on the shoulder. “Sorry, he is still crying. We need you to come and get him”
At this point, I want to scream and cry myself. Is it selfish that I want ONE HOUR to myself over the ENTIRE day?! He is fed, clothed, fresh diaper and in a room full of toys with his brother. Why can’t he just hold it together for sixty minutes?!!
*I get off the bike and rush out of the room, jealous of everyone who gets to stay. No workout for me today.
*I enter the daycare room and collect my little puddle. His face is beet red and he is sobbing, with pathetic little hiccups in between. He looks at me and says in his tiny tot voice “mommy?”. The question mark at the end pulls at my heart. Cue the mommy guilt.
*My oldest gives me a big hug and asks if I had fun “ex-sizing”. He has no idea that my workout was cut short because of his brother.
*Adding insult to injury, I still had to pay the daycare for the visit. So I paid up and we bolted. In the car I realized my Polar heart rate monitor said I had exercised for ten minutes. The daycare bill was $10, meaning I paid $1 per minute for my workout today. A high price to pay for exercise, don’t you think?
So was it selfish that I was willing to let my child cry just so I could get a workout?
Should I go back and try it again or just accept the fact that I’m not going to get a traditional workout when my husband is out of town?
anyone else have gym daycare drama?
photo credit: origami_madness
{ 28 comments }
I don’t think it is selfish. You need time for yourself, time to exercise alone. I would keep trying it, keep talking to him about how you won’t be gone that long. Maybe take him a half hour before the class to get him adjusted, sit with him a while and once he is entertained tell him you have to step out and will be back.
Consistency will help him adjust. Could it be this gym daycare? Is there something more they could do? Could you leave him with a snack or something to get his attention?
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You poor thing!!!!! I went through the exact same thing with my kids. One suggestion that was made to me was to bring them in during a time I’m not taking a class, just doing my own workout. And to bring them back the next day, and every day for a week until they got used to it. It gets expensive, but it can work. (It didn’t for us, but that had more to do with my kids’ autism.)
And, no, it is absolutely NOT selfish of you to want 1 hour to yourself!!!!!!!!
Oh, I feel for you! My workouts are constantly getting interrupted by my youngest.
Today after I dropped my oldest off at school, I ended up trailing another mother on the way home. I felt so envious of her as she pulled into local gym. My youngest gets into these raging crying fits if I go to do laundry downstairs for a minute much less try to exercise for any decent amount of time.
I’d try going back to the gym again. Hopefully, your little one gets used to the daycare soon. Good luck! (And if things work out for you, send me some of your luck!)
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You are not selfish. We have a vase and we need to put water in the vase in order to have water for others. The time at the gym is the way you put water in your vase.
I suggest taking your child back during a time when you are not in a class. He needs to get used to the people at daycare.
The price they charge is a little steep though, I pay 50 cents per hour at my gym.
No you weren’t selfish. And you should try it again.
OH man!That does not make for a good workout! I would say try it again, as I had a friend who went through the same thing with her child, now he loves going there.
Even though there are plenty of options to get in a good workout at home! ;o)
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I’d definitely keep trying. It takes kids time to get used to new surroundings. My 19 month old DD does not care for one of the child care workers so it’s a constant back and forth. I always try to bring a favorite snack and drink to keep her occupied. Have you also tried to get your oldest to help soothe him?
I can’t believe they charge that much. I think I would talk to the manager about it. Our gym daycare only charges $2 an hour and they work with us if it isn’t a full hour.
So sorry! And no, you are not selfish at all. You totally need some time to yourself. I say try again – maybe it will go better.
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Maybe try when there isn’t a class going on…I wouldn’t give up though! YOU ARE NOT SELFISH to want to get one hour of time to stay healthy for you and your family. $10 does sound steep though, geez
Jamie
when i joined the gym my youngest was about 1 year and VERY needy, i would go to the gym and take her to the sitter room and she would scream, luckily the ladies their are great and would hold her and rock her. They were great, even if they had to hold her the entire hour !!! after about 6 months of this, she finally loves it there. you are not selfish. you need to go. keep going….
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It’s not selfish, and should definitely try to do as suggested and have them there when it’s not a set class.
But I do have to wonder about a gym that charges so much for childcare. Most of our gyms in the area have free care for members, or a $1 per child per day.
Hell yes you deserve one hour. Hell yes you should go back and try it again. Baby needs to see the fun of it.
Sucks that you have to pay for it though. We paid $55 a month for a Y membership that covered the cost of daycare.
Now is that girl/girls attempting to play/engage your kid to be in active play so that he forgets about mommy? I would also question that. You shouldn’t have to pay if they can’t manage your baby.
KEEP GOING!!!
Fit Mommys last blog post..Baby Steps or a Giant Leap?!
Poor little boy.
I.
HAVE.
STORIES.
lets just say youre not alone.
Im thinking about you, woman.
Miz.
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The thought itself is not selfish. You deserve your time to workout. It just didn’t work out this time at the gym. As parents we all know the kiddos come 1st. It’s probably gonna happen again. Maybe next time if it doesn’t work out and you have to leave, just get a nice home workout in when you get home. Keep your gym clothes on, keep the HR monitor on and get after it. Get creative, do a nice in-home circuit. Your little one probably would feel more comfortable at home anyways, and you could squeeze in your routine. Just my 2 cents.
thanks for all your replies and support! I am amazed by the great childcare prices that some of you have. Rates in my area are insane, I actually thought my gym was giving me a bargain–(aside from having to pay the full rate for only 10 minutes)
The last gym I went to that had daycare was in WI and it was the Y and it was included in the membership…yeah, the Midwest rocks that way. This happened to me a few times, but don’t give up, he’ll get used to it…though at that price, I dunno! Good luck, I know that feeling IT SUCKS!
NYCity Mamas last blog post..Typical Day in The Heights, NYC
Selfish for trying to be a healthy Mommy??
I’d try again like many others said…
and $1 a minute, I’d be willing to pay someone to DO the exercise for me
That stinks! That’s why I hit the track at the park instead. The problem is the daycare takes practice. He has to get use to it and the real question is, can you afford it? lol
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You just wrote about my biggest nightmare. I am too afraid to try the child care at my gym. My daughter isn’t all that comfortable with strangers and I would most likely have to stay with her 5 times before she would feel comfortable. Would the gym charge me for that I wonder? That is one reason why I only joined a gym recently. We have a treadmill at home and I have put my toddler in front of the television as I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes, feeling bad every single minute for both of us. Sigh. Hope it gets better for everyone.
Dood. I pay $1/minute for workouts all the time. I pay a babysitter AND a gym AND deal with the guilt of leaving my kids with someone else when I hardly have any time with them as it is. But here’s the best I can come up with: Everybody’s happier when mommy is happy. And mommy is happier when she gets a freaking hour to herself to workout. Sometimes it doesn’t go well, admittedly (like your experience, I’m so sorry, GOD I can relate). But you have to keep trying.
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Oh Lisa! You have all my sympathy! I have totally been there. Sometimes I swear the little guys are out to get us;)
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All that stress seems like it would undo even the 10 you got. I’ve was going after the kids went down ant night. Now the hubby’s workin’ night i need to figure out another way.
Aw that’s really unfortunate. And not selfish of you AT ALL. You mums have it rough.
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It’s not selfish at all. We have a large segment of stay-at-home moms at my training studio and it’s common for them to feel as if, though they absolutely ADORE their children, they abdicated their whole lives whereas their husbands more or less have continued their lives unaltered (their words, not mine). They feel as if they’ve sacrificed their identity. I believe strongly that by taking some time every week to continue to cultivate their individual identity (what some people might call “selfishness”) they are better prepared to take care of the other people in their lives. What’s the solution to the daycare dilemma? Not sure, I’m afraid. Many of my clients are able to afford help. What if a group of women rotated watching the kids so that the others could take some “selfish” time? Would that work?
Jonathan Aluzas
http://www.arenafitness.com
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Fitness Surfer–so true! I was so stressed afterwards that the 10 minutes was totally negated! Hope you find a new way for yourself too!
Jonathan–yes, you described my thoughts exactly! I wish I could find some people to trade off with, but no luck.
no, not selfish. i would say try it again but that really seems expensive to me! i use the gym childcare almost everyday because i get up to 2 hours per day included in my membership. at my gym if it isn’t included in the membership then it is only $2 per kid.
good luck. i hope you get in a good workout. you deserve it!
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