So I'm riding bikes around the block in our neighborhood with my youngest daughter this week when she looks me square in the eye and says, "Daddy, you should do this everyday." I'm not sure what gave me away. Certainly it was not my huffing and puffing, eyes bulging, perspiration falling like rain, red faced appearance that gave me away. Maybe it was the fact she had to keep stopping to let me catch up. Or it could have just been the fact that I couldn't complete a sentence that contained more than three words or twelve syllables without gasping for air. Regardless, my nine-year old had me cold. Kids can be brutally honest at times.

She was absolutely right. It began to dawn on me that if I want to live long enough to tell my kids what they are doing wrong in raising their own children I will have to make some changes.

I haven't always been lazy when it comes to exercise. It seems though that the busier I get exercise is always the first item on my schedule to get cut. I will have to work on that. I tried the health club circuit before but didn't have the time and energy to get into shape before I joined. Over there is Mr. Atlas, next to him is Hercules, and lets not leave out Xena and Wonder Woman. Oh, then there's me. The trainers could care less about working with someone like me. "Well, I'd like to help you little buddy but right now I've got to help Betty tone her a...abs." Don't get me wrong, I admire those people for being in such great shape. For single parents it's sometimes a little tough to do.

I was listening to Denise Austin on the radio the other day. Here is a woman that is bursting with so much energy she is almost downright annoying. She was talking about having a baby, being way overweight, yet back into shape just weeks later to start filming her exercise class again. I can't argue with her dedication. I met her once and if memory serves me correct her waist was about 18" and I doubt you could find enough fat on her to fry an egg. She did say one thing that I liked though. She was talking about doing exercises at your desk, in your car, in front of the TV, etc. According to Denise, holding your stomach in for 10 seconds was equal to one sit-up. She got my attention because I hate sit-ups. She had a couple other tips that escape me at the moment but I think she has a video coming out for exercise challenged people such as myself. Might be a great Christmas stocking stuffer.

With single parenting exercise is difficult. Let's face it. Our day starts early and ends late. Let's look at a typical day in the life of a single parent.

5:30am Alarm goes off

5:35am Realizing the alarm went off, we hit the snooze button

5:42am Alarm goes off again (Is there no God?)

5:45am Through a variety of creative measures we shut the alarm off and make a mental note to buy a new clock

6:00am Wake the kids

6:05am Wake the kids

6:10am Wake the kids

6:15am Jump in the shower

6:30am Wake the kids

6:45am Fix lunches, pour cereal, sign homework

6:50am Look for favorite blue shirt because it's the only thing Sally wants to wear to school that day. It isn't clean.

7:00am Finally get kids to bus stop

7:10am Rush back home and get dressed for work

7:30am Leave for work

8:00am Start your working day devouring a muffin and three cups of coffee

9:00am School calls, Sally left her permission slip for a field trip at home. It's due today.

11:30am Take early lunch, rush home to pick up permission slip to carry to school.

5:00pm Work day is supposed to be over, boss still talking.

5:30pm Boss is still talking

5:45pm Finally out of frustration we explain that we have to be at Daycare by 6pm or we will be charged $1000 for each minute we are late and give up parental rights to our firstborn. Boss says, "Oh do you need to leave?"

5:59pm Having set a land speed record and terrified half a dozen motorists we bolt into the Daycare. Their clock says 6:05pm.

6:15pm With kids in tow we are trying to eclipse the land speed record we set earlier because Billy has t-ball practice at 6:30.

7:30pm Arrive home with tired kids and three happy meals from McDonalds. One of them is yours.

8:00pm Check over homework and get kids in the bath.

8:30pm Kids are clean, watching TV, time to relax. Scratch that, you promised Sally her blue shirt would be clean tomorrow. Start laundry.

9:00pm Time to start getting the kids ready for bed. Teeth to be brushed, drinks of water on the house.

9:30pm Finally get the kids to bed after explaining that it doesn't matter that Tommy's mom lets him stay up until 10pm, it's bedtime here.

10:00pm Finally sit down. Think about everything you haven't yet done. There are dishes in the sink, that book you started reading two years ago. You turn on the news and tell yourself that you will try and start exercising soon.

11:00pm You wake up, turn off the TV and go to bed. The dishes can wait until tomorrow.

5:30am The alarm clock goes off.

And as all you single parents out there realize this is not exaggerated much if any. Tell you what; if you have some time saving suggestions for us single parents that have little if any time to spare, how about offering them through the discussion board. Maybe we can learn from each other. I know I could use the help!

Until next time...