By Alyice Edrich

July 19, 2001

With so many demands placed on parents, not to mention the busy schedules of an active child, it's no wonder
we skip exercising and go right to bed! We are often told that exercising begins with a state
of mind.  The mind must be ready and willing before the body will ever follow suit.  But how does one get the mind ready when it is exhausted and ready for a long nap?  We must find a motivation factor, such as family bonding.

With life throwing every obstacle imaginable to keep us from forming strong family bonds, or finding time to get fit, this is a great combination! Since getting fit and bonding can occur with as little as ten minutes of devoted time, there really is no excuse.

Check out these great tips for getting you past the thinking stage and into the acting stage:

1. Walk.  Walk to the store instead of taking the car. Use the time to talk with one another or play verbal games, like searching out certain states on the back of license plates or looking for a certain type bird.

2. Park in the rear of a parking lot and race each other to the store.

3. Are your errands too far away to walk?  Consider a nice bike ride with a picnic after your errands are done.

4. How far is your child's school?  How about morning breakfast on the run?  Make egg sandwiches and eat while you walk the kids to school, or prepare a picnic breakfast and stop along the way.

5. Do you remember what it was like to play tag? Do you get a smile on your face every time you hear your child's laughter?  Why not take ten minutes to meet them in the back yard for a game of tag?

6. Children love to wrestle, why not practice some moves on your kids.

7. Drop the movies and head out to a local swimming pool or skating rink.

Alyice is a freelance writer, author, and virtual party consultant. Whether you are hunting down party supplies, need tips and articles to help you plan your next event, or simply want to start a home biz, this is definitely the place to go! Check out her Mobile Notary and Party Consultant Biz Ops!  While you are here, why not enter for the $100 party supply giveaway! To learn more about any of these, stop by her website at: http://thedabblingmum.com