Here’s an idea from my sister, a mother of two pre-schoolers. If you live within walking distance of a coffee shop, and don’t meet your husband everyday during the noon hour, this is a fabulous idea:
I’ve started an early morning walking club for moms who want to knock out some exercise before their maternal and/or professional responsibilities kick in for the day. Although this was not my intent, it has completely replaced my running program. I meet whomever shows up at 6:30am in front of a coffee shop near my house, and we hoof three miles in 48 minutes. On Saturdays we sleep in; we meet at 7am. My schedule calls for Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat which gives me a good number of work outs but does not feel too onerous to maintain. If I were to miss a day, there are others who only go on Tues/Thurs so I could go then. The social aspect is very enriching. We pair off differently each time, so there is always an opportunity to chat with someone I may not get to chat with very often, especially without kids as a distraction. It has been really great so far, and I hope it continues.
Clearly social interaction is a valuable commodity in today’s culture. Once upon a time, women connected with each other when they came to draw water for their households. Now it’s a challenge. Of course, back then they didn’t need to schedule their exercise.