My Nemesis ... Gym

"Mom!  Today we played this really fun game call 'Survivor'!  We had two teams, one on each side of the field, and we each had hula-hoops on the ground with balls in them.  Each team was trying to run across the line to the other team's hoops and steal their balls.  It's the "food".  Then you have run back and put the ball in your own hoop without anyone pulling one of the tags off your belt.  But you also have to guard your own balls.  And if someone pulls your tag you have to go to jail.  But you can get out of jail if one of your teammates comes over and leads you by the hand back to your side ... or if the teacher yells, "Jail Break!!"  Then you can just run like crazy back over to your side and play some more.  I am so good at that game.  I'm so fast!" ~ Norah

"Hey, Mom.  Today we learned how to do this silly dance.  Our gym teacher has all this fun music playing and she taught us these cool moves to go with the music.  Like we have to stand on one leg and put our arms out like an airplane and balance.  That was kinda hard ... I had to really try hard not to fall over.  Or we get to do a funny walk to the middle of the circle and then walk backwards out to the edge of the circle moving our arms in a wave.  I love the music.  Have you ever heard of a group called Cold Play?  I love their song, "Viva La Vida".  Can I put it on the iPod?  I can show you some of the moves we learned.  It's really a work-out.  I sweat a lot."  ~ Aaron

"We got to have gym today!  I'm so glad that I wore my running shoes.  We played this fun game today where we have numbers on the floor and we have to sit on our number.  My number is #5.  Then the teacher yells, "Calling all kids!" and then we have to run to him as fast as we can.  He's counting backwards, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1" and when he gets to "1", we have to quick sit down, clap our hands together and put our hands on our heads.  It's so fun!  I love all our gym games, but that's my favorite.  I love to run!"  ~ Ashley

"Today in gym class we had to run around the gym about 50 times.  When we got done, Coach pulled the bag of dodge balls out of the stinky old gym closet.  We divvied up into two teams and Kelly and I made sure that we got on opposite teams.  That way we could get each other out and then go sit on the sidelines and talk.  That's better than getting nailed by Libby.  She throws so hard.  One time she knocked the wind out of one of those younger kids who was unlucky enough to go head to head with her.

But at least today was better than Monday.  On Monday the weather was nice so Coach sent us all out to the baseball field for a game of kickball.  I can't ever seem to make good contact with the ball and even when I do manage to kick it, I can't run fast enough to get to first base before somebody tags me.  I was relieved when my team took the field and Kelly and I were sent to the outfield.  I have no idea what happened in the game at that point because we were having a really funny conversation about one of the boys at school.  It wasn't until Couch yelled, "Enough with the tea party, Ladies!" that I realized that our team was back up to kick.  Oops.

But I guess dodge ball and kickball are both tons better than having to do the plyometric boxes.  Those are the worst.  I can't think of anything in my future in which this skill of being able to jump up two feet in the air ... and down ... and up ... and down ... will be necessary.  And the fact that we also have to do it fast is ridiculous.  I am terrified of either clonking my shin on the edge of the wooden box, spraining an ankle on the trip back down or tripping and falling off the top of the box resulting in a concussion.  Or at the very least, a humiliating experience to have to live down throughout my high school career.  I spend most of my time faking a side ache.  I hate gym."  ~Me

   

I do wish that I would have learned about the fun and value of exercise as a kid.  If I had enjoyed gym class, maybe I wouldn't have spent all my years as a young adult trying to figure out how to be slim and slender without exercising!  As my kids retell their most recent gym adventures, I listen with a mixture of envy and thankfulness ... envious of their creative teacher who is teaching them at this early age about the joys of a life of healthy activity and thankful that some of their exercise habits inspire me to get busy, too!
__________________________________

Prompt #4 -Feeling wronged by a teacher.  Sorry, Coach.