Before we had kids, my husband and I used to get outside to hike a lot. Now that we have a little one, it is a little more difficult, but we still try to go on hikes when we can.
A few tips we have learned the hard way.
1. Get a decent child carrier. Carrying extra weight is difficult, especially when it is shifting around. You do not want to hurt yourself or your back.
2. Bring lots of snacks and water. You need to stay hydrated and you both need sustenance. Plus, the little ones do not whine as much when their mouth is full.
3. Make sure your child is bundled appropriately. You may be hot, but they are not exerting the energy you are, so make sure they are warm enough.
4. Remember sunscreen, even in the winter.
5. Don't try to tackle too much. You may not be able to go as fast or as far as you used to. There are times you will have to turn around and go home before you we're ready. Enjoy the fact that you can share this hobby with your kids.
Here are some suggestions we have for the East bay (Bay Area):
Coyote Hills Regional Park - there is a 3 mile paved trail around the perimeter, that you can take a stroller on. If you have a carrier, you can hike over the hills. Great views of the bay and bridges, as well as a lot of bird watching. There is a visitor center that often has activities for older kids. There is a parking fee, but you can park outside and walk in (about a mile).
Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness Area - just did some hiking here on a sunny January weekend. We chose a trail over the hill to "Little Yosemite" and then returned on the access road (flat gravel road). Approx. 3 miles round trip. Good views of the Sunol hills and Alameda creek. My son enjoyed seeing cows, birds and a group of horseback riders. There is a small visitor center and parking is $5 per car.
Mission Peak - This 5.6 mile out and back trail is a more serious hike, especially when carrying extra weight. Plan to bring plenty of water and snacks and/or sandwiches. It involves many switchbacks and 2100 feet elevation gain. The view from the peak is worth it. You can see across the bay one direction and East to the valley the other. There are a lot of dogs on the trail and some ground mammals on the hills for the little one to watch.
Tilden Regional Park - Tilden has a bunch of great features within the area. We have visited the steam train (great for train enthusiasts) and botanic gardens, but have not made it to the Carousel or little farm yet. There are several different parking areas, depending on which side you want to visit. We usually do the kid stuff, then go on a hike. There are plenty of quick hikes that give you nice views.
Lake Chabot is on our list, but have not made it yet.
Additional resources at www.ebparks.org (East Bay Regional Parks).
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Shortcuts of a working mom
Working moms know that you can not get everything done. As much as we want and even try to be wonder woman, we are human and there is only so much time in a day.
I read an article recently in the Harvard Business Review about time management. It reiterated the tenant that we can not get everything done with A level work, so successful people prioritize what activities and time investments will get them more payout in the future. There are some things we have to get done (cooking and preparing kids for school), but some things are low priority and can be done with minimal effort or dismissed (keeping an immaculate house comes to mind).
In future posts, I can share with you some of the "shortcuts" I take to save time on the minor daily tasks in order to spend more quality time with the family. Since I work full time, I try to be fully present from dinner to bedtime with my family. This means no checking email or surfing the web, so I have to catch up on that after bedtime. I strategically allocate this time to my family.
As mothers with limited time, we have to evaluate our to do lists and prioritize what is an investment and high value, what is neutral (must be done) and what is a nice to do, but not imperative. Think about eliminating, delegating or delaying the non value activities so you can focus on the good stuff.
I am still working on this, since I tend to try to do it all. I need to remind myself to evaluate my priorities and just say no if it does not add value for me and my family.
I read an article recently in the Harvard Business Review about time management. It reiterated the tenant that we can not get everything done with A level work, so successful people prioritize what activities and time investments will get them more payout in the future. There are some things we have to get done (cooking and preparing kids for school), but some things are low priority and can be done with minimal effort or dismissed (keeping an immaculate house comes to mind).
In future posts, I can share with you some of the "shortcuts" I take to save time on the minor daily tasks in order to spend more quality time with the family. Since I work full time, I try to be fully present from dinner to bedtime with my family. This means no checking email or surfing the web, so I have to catch up on that after bedtime. I strategically allocate this time to my family.
As mothers with limited time, we have to evaluate our to do lists and prioritize what is an investment and high value, what is neutral (must be done) and what is a nice to do, but not imperative. Think about eliminating, delegating or delaying the non value activities so you can focus on the good stuff.
I am still working on this, since I tend to try to do it all. I need to remind myself to evaluate my priorities and just say no if it does not add value for me and my family.
Reinventing your Hobbies...with kids
Especially after your first child, your life becomes focused on your children. Hobbies that had previously filled your weekends and evenings, now get pushed aside with activities like "watching baby" or singing with baby or reading to baby (all important activities, don't get me wrong).
It is interesting how your interests and hobbies change over time, sometimes drastically. When you are single, you have your own interests and hobbies. After getting married, you merge some of those, but still keep some personal interests. Once you have kids, your joint interests become things to do with the family and your personal interests become your much needed alone time.
As I redefine myself as a mother, I have been trying to identify some of my former passions and hobbies and how I can incorporate them into a family event.
Sometimes we do a family run on the weekend. One of us takes the dog and the other pushes the baby in the running stroller and we go on a run...together. That is a perfect family outing to me. Other times, it is just me and the baby, as my husband sleeps in.
For Christmas, we got a bike trailer to pull our little one behind our bikes. My husband rides to work a couple days a week and has a nice road bike. Unfortunately, I have not ridden since I was pregnant, so I am anxious to have some nice family outings and get exercise.
There are plenty of accessible hiking trails in our area. When the little one was smaller, it was easier to take him in the baby backpack. Now he is getting heavier, so it is getting more challenging. He is not quite big enough to walk for very far, so we tend to look for paved trails where we can take a stroller.
One of my former activities was wine tasting. I loved to explore less popular wine regions and meet the owners. Obviously the tasting part is not appropriate for kids, but there are beautiful winery locations that are kid friendly and have space to run around. (I will let you know when I identify them).
All in all, it is a good idea to share your passions with your children. There may be ages when they are not big enough to appreciate the experience, so you may have to wait until they are older, but there should be creative ways you can continue to practice healthy activities.
Now who is up for a family run?
It is interesting how your interests and hobbies change over time, sometimes drastically. When you are single, you have your own interests and hobbies. After getting married, you merge some of those, but still keep some personal interests. Once you have kids, your joint interests become things to do with the family and your personal interests become your much needed alone time.
As I redefine myself as a mother, I have been trying to identify some of my former passions and hobbies and how I can incorporate them into a family event.
Sometimes we do a family run on the weekend. One of us takes the dog and the other pushes the baby in the running stroller and we go on a run...together. That is a perfect family outing to me. Other times, it is just me and the baby, as my husband sleeps in.
For Christmas, we got a bike trailer to pull our little one behind our bikes. My husband rides to work a couple days a week and has a nice road bike. Unfortunately, I have not ridden since I was pregnant, so I am anxious to have some nice family outings and get exercise.
There are plenty of accessible hiking trails in our area. When the little one was smaller, it was easier to take him in the baby backpack. Now he is getting heavier, so it is getting more challenging. He is not quite big enough to walk for very far, so we tend to look for paved trails where we can take a stroller.
One of my former activities was wine tasting. I loved to explore less popular wine regions and meet the owners. Obviously the tasting part is not appropriate for kids, but there are beautiful winery locations that are kid friendly and have space to run around. (I will let you know when I identify them).
All in all, it is a good idea to share your passions with your children. There may be ages when they are not big enough to appreciate the experience, so you may have to wait until they are older, but there should be creative ways you can continue to practice healthy activities.
Now who is up for a family run?
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