There are few activities our daughter and I enjoy as much as going for a walk. Now that the leaves are beginning to turn colors, our time outside has become even better! Anticipating the frigid temperatures and snow drifts to come, I’m trying to get as many daily walks in as possible.
Everyone pretty much assumes the health benefits of “getting some fresh air.” But, for the sake of repeating it, fresh air is pretty phenomenal—especially if you are a stay-at-home mother.
Sometimes it’s tempting to stay within the four walls of your home. If you are like me, there are certainly enough reasons to stay inside. There is always one more cleaning project to tackle, a corner to organize, or an email to draft. The list is seemingly endless!
Perhaps this scene sounds familiar to you: just as I’m about to reply to the final message in my inbox (which, by the way, happens to be long overdue), our daughter begins fussing and crying, indicating that she’s had quite enough of playing quietly by herself. She wants a change of pace!
Thank goodness for her. If not for her persistent…can we say “encouragement?”…I may well be inside all day long, immersed in an endless train of email correspondence, blogging, and paperwork.
So we break loose from the house and take a stroll around the neighborhood. It does wonders for both of us. She can’t get enough of the barrage of images, sounds, and colors. I can’t get enough of the freedom of the outdoors. Since she is happily contained in her stroller, I can let my mind roam and peacefully contemplate—something that has become increasingly difficulty indoors, where our now-crawling daughter seeks adventure in every corner of the room.
Plus, need I add the wonderful benefit of getting some exercise?
While we can enjoy these pristine autumn days, take some time to go for a walk with your baby. Maybe call up a friend and meet at a park together. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own little worlds—take a moment to get perspective by breathing in some crisp autumn air and delighting in the golden yellows and bonfire red colors around you!
Your baby will thank you for it—and you’ll be grateful for the stroll yourself!
I try to get outside each day too. I find I have a much better outlook on things, once I’ve gotten some fresh air.