It’s ME Monday! The topic that’s been on my mind lately is how I’ve always lived an over-involved life. From the time I was in Kindergarten, and talk of baton lessons started swirling around the classroom, I’ve been going nonstop. As a child, I did:
- 10 years of baton
- 10 years of ballet
- 8 years of tap
- 8 years of jazz
- 4 years of piano
- 6 years of off and on gymnastics/acro-tumbling
- 10 years of *gulp* *yikes* pageants
This was all before high school started and I joined every extracurricular available plus ran on the track and cross country teams and did cheerleading (football, basketball and competition).
Yes, we had a stone track. And I look really worried. Am I starting a race or trying to fly?
Oh hey, look! We were pretty good too!
I didn’t slow down in college. In fact, while I got good grades, I am sure I spent more time on exercise and extra curricular activities (clubs, religious gatherings, athletic functions) than I spent on school work.
After college I moved to Seattle to be with my now-husband and eventually got myself involved to the point of being busy 4:30am-7pm almost every day.
I love being busy and am happy to have so many experiences. In fact, this life prepared me a lot for motherhood! I often wonder how I birthed such an active child, who already wants to be involved in so many classes and activities. Then I take a look back at my own life. Oh, yes, I get it now.
What about you? Do you squeeze as much as you can into each day or do you prefer to live a little more relaxed? How does it relate to your running or your family life?
I was the same way growing up and now love to be busy doing a million things! I totally would have never pictured you as a cheerleader or pageants! You seem very well rounded Jen, so important!
Haha, thanks Kristy. Yes, I can’t believe I did pageants either. I actually took some good away from them, but I wouldn’t enter my own daughter in them (especially in this Toddlers and Tiaras world)! Cheerleading was good for me, at least in my school where we were pretty hardcore about it, practicing daily, for many hours. It kept me on top of my gymnastics and made me strong. I was lucky to have mostly positive experiences with both of those activities. I feel fortunate because I know that’s not always the case.
I think you need to do a post (with pictures!) on your pageant days :))
Haha, oh boy. Don’t think that’s gonna happen! Actually, if I had pictures with me here in NY, I would have added them to this post!
Holy cow! THat is busy! I was not that busy as a kid, but was always doing a sport. I always think how moms are so equipped to run marathons – they are always going going going, some more than others, but it’s a non stop, even when you are exhausted kind of life. I would say I am busier now than I have ever been – trying to cram as much as possible in from 5am to 10pm, non stop, and never really sitting down!
So interesting that you did pageants – I seriously used to watch Miss America when I was a kid and wanted to be her. Kind of glad I wasn’t;-)
Have a great day!!
I was pretty similar growing up. I started dance at two, gymnastics at 4 and continued adding and subtracting activities all throughout (piano, softball, basketball which was not my thing at ALL, horse-back riding, cheerleading, tennis). I was pretty “into” gymnastics for a while so that was my focus until about 12 years old. People would tell my mom I was “too busy,” but I loved it (and my mom liked it as it kept me out of trouble). My parents wanted us to try anything and everything as kids (ie sending us to camp in the summer, tons of activities) so we wouldn’t look back and say “I wish I had tried that.” I am very fortunate that my parents did this for me, particularly since it is time consuming for the parent driving us everything and not cheap, either!
Love the pics, Jen! Too cute.
I feel the same way, Meggie. So happy my parents had us involved. I feel like I know a little bit about a whole bunch of things thanks to what I was exposed to as a child.