Michelle and I joined a fitness challenge recently, not because we feel out of shape or need to lose weight, more because we just felt in a rut both food-wise and exercise-wise.

The challenge includes access to trainers, workouts, meal plans, and nightly motivational-type videos. Typically I half listen while Michelle watches but we have noticed that Cecilia has taken an interest and seems to drift into the room when Coach Jeff is preaching and it reminded that parenting moments can happen in the strangest and most unexpected places and we should be prepared to use all of them.

Driving back and forth from dance or sports can seem like a chore but that’s when I hear the most about their days. Sitting and reviewing math homework is not something I really want to do after dinner but that’s often when she gets chatty. Can’t waste any of those opportunities.

Coach Jeff talks a lot about resilience, putting the work in now for results later, discipline, and accountability. All good things for her to hear and better that it’s coming from him than me. Changes the frame a bit. It’s not just Dad doing an adult rant in a Peanut’s cartoon voice.

Now if I can just get him to slip in a mention of flash cards. Continue Reading