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Mommy Musings - Stretching and Splashing
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I’m not one to sit quietly when it comes to something I love.  

Proof positive of this would be the simple title of this column space, Mommy Musings. I love my kids and the older we (all) get the more I grow to love them and parenting. Oh, sure we have our moments…plenty of them. Growing up, however, I was always told we take the good with the bad and well, parenting is no different.

In this moment, however, I have to share my love of this town and the variety of activity it offers our children.

Comparatively speaking, Oakdale is a ‘small’ town. What I’ve come to learn in my past 12 years as a resident is that it is a small town with much talent.

A number of Oakdalean’s have gone on to make names for themselves on Broadway, race tracks, rodeo circuit and even on the music pop charts.

What I love is that for all the talent, which branches out an equal or greater number, stays and shares. Be it through community theater, art classes or sport activity our children are fortunate to be taught at the hands of truly passionate and talented people.

My home does not hold a football, soccer or baseball player. Nor does it hold pom poms or toe shoes. My duo are no different than a lot of kids, they’re finding their way. They both love the water so as one might suspect they are swimmers, but they are also adventurers.

I love that they are open to trying new things. I especially love that we are not limited to the traditional activities.

So when my friend Korin Wallace (of Koru Power Yoga) shared that she was offering Kids Yoga at her studio I could hardly wait to get the duo in for a class.

I’ve given Pilates and Yoga a good ‘ol college try, a few times with my kids at my side. They were both familiar with what it was and were each equally excited about the class. In complete honesty my son began meditating (as a calming tool) shortly after his sister was born - he was three and a half.

Yes, I was ‘that’ mom. The mom who would encourage her child to breathe when witnessing them feeling anxious or excited. Somehow my son graduated from this (on his own accord) to the state of meditation.

So, as we entered the studio and I listened to their discussion with the teacher I had high hopes. As suspected when I returned 45 minutes later, both children enthusiastically asked ‘Can we come again?’

As their mom, as well as a person with an appreciation for the practice of yoga, my heart swelled. Sure, this class will not offer an ‘open house,’ a recital or a trophy for their efforts. It will however bring them joy, inner peace and self-acceptance. All while they are having fun.

Yes, fun. Kids Yoga is fun. There is loose structure, education and interaction with the others in the class all in a calm and non-judgemental environment. There are no hair bows that must be of matching color, no special shoes or team colors. Plain and simple… it’s just a class, but one they both thoroughly enjoy.

As mentioned, they are swimmers as well and they do enjoy their pool time. This is my son’s third year as an Oakdale Gator and his sister’s first. It’s fun watching all the kids grow in and out of the water, as well as the coaches.

Swimming is no different than any other sport. It too takes a special kind of breed.

I always marvel at how easy and cooperative my son is on those early swim meet Saturdays as we load up and head out at 6 a.m. or earlier for a designated swim meet. One morning this occurred to me: we spend the night before packing, six to ten hours poolside (for any given meet), typically in 90 plus degree heat - all so that our children may spend a total of three to five minutes in the water. Yes…we call this fun.Swimming is a hurry-up-and-wait sport. Simply put…it’s day camping, but when you’re surrounded by equally crazy and passionate families it all just seems normal. We laugh openly at the craziness, take comfort in the freedoms our children have in this environment and leave plenty of money at the snack bar.

At the end of it all, we take it one season at a time. As their mom, I tend to roll with it. Guiding and advising them to only take on what they love. The lesson of course is about commitment be it to their team through swimming or themselves through yoga.

Namaste.

 

Teresa Hammond is circulation manager for The Oakdale Leader, The Riverbank News and The Escalon Times. She may be reached at thammond@oakdaleleader.com or by calling 847-3021.