Me and my little shadow

I was looking through our family photo albums when my son plopped himself into my lap. (Full disclosure: I love that he still does that.) He was about three years old in that particular album and as we looked through the photos and I told him stories, I realized how much time he spent following me around. If I was in the kitchen, he was there. If I went into the laundry room, he was there. If I went on any chore, he was there. I recall wondering if my privacy and sanity were ever going to return.

Life is a little different now. My son likes to do activities on his own, and although he will sometimes tell me that he is in a room because he wants to be in the same space I am, for the most part, he has reached an age in which he is not following me around all the time.

And because I am an irrational person, I now miss him following me around. I also now know that I missed a big opportunity with him, as toddlers move the same amount as their parents do. In a study that amazes me, researchers discovered that if parents move more in their day, their toddlers will take their cue from them and do the same. Similarly: If parents are more sedentary during their day, their children will follow suit.

The study was done with preschoolers, but I have hope that my son is still at an age where I can influence some of his behaviors. So, I need to move more - if not for myself, then maybe for my son.

Do you move enough during the day? Tell me in the comments.