So after my return to swimming over the summer, I now need to plan how I am going to keep up the swimming once schools are back.
I was so fortunate where we used to live, being 5 mins or 15 mins from the pools I trained at, plus we trained late 8.30-9.30pm and 8-9.30pm so husband would be back to look after the kids.
So come 23rd Aug I need to leave home at 7.30am to get bigger small child to school. My nearest masters team is a good 30mins drive and practices 5.15am-6.30am, so I'd somehow have to get out of the pool at 6.30, drive through the rush hour traffic (albeit kind of against the traffic, but still..) get home have 2 small kids breakfasted, dressed and out the door all within the hour.
Husband is currently heading up some global finance project which means conference calls at all hours, so while he may be around at home, he may also have a 7am call with Europe, so can't rely on him to help out - and if he doesn't have an early call he would leave the house at 8.30am and likely stay in bed until 8.15..GRRR...
Plus by the time lunchtime comes around I'd be pooped - getting up at 5.45am this summer saw to that, so I have no idea if my body could cope with a 4.30am wake up. Smaller small child is 3 and will start pre-school 2 mornings per week, so will need entertaining the rest of the time (can't just pack 'em both off and go back to bed)
:blah::blah::blah:
So just how do you moms with small kids do it?
I do have a couple of other options to get some lap swimming in, but being coached and swimming with the team would obviously benefit my swimming the most.
Our practice is from 5:15am- 6:45. So I shower at the pool and get home by 7:10am start breakfast while waking up children and getting dressed for work myself. I'm usually fatigued by 10am but I have a desk job. I usually then wourkout a little while my son has his USA practice in the evening. This year our head coach has opened the dryland coach to work with the parents during practice! Now my youngest starts swimming this year. So we pretty much live at the pool. My husband is also an official.
So I guess the answer to your question is we as a family live and breathe swimming.. thats how we do it!
Added- My kids are 6 and 11 and I just started last year. We also fostered for a few years and I know it would have been impossible for me with toddlers and babies!
Our practice is from 5:15am- 6:45. So I shower at the pool and get home by 7:10am start breakfast while waking up children and getting dressed for work myself. I'm usually fatigued by 10am but I have a desk job. I usually then wourkout a little while my son has his USA practice in the evening. This year our head coach has opened the dryland coach to work with the parents during practice! Now my youngest starts swimming this year. So we pretty much live at the pool. My husband is also an official.
So I guess the answer to your question is we as a family live and breathe swimming.. thats how we do it!
Added- My kids are 6 and 11 and I just started last year. We also fostered for a few years and I know it would have been impossible for me with toddlers and babies!