Be the Fun Mom!!

First day of Summer! To me that means so many things .. vacations, playing in the sun and water and memories to be made with my children. That is not what it use to mean...It use to mean dreaded bathing suits, hiding in the water and being a sideline Mom. This is not something I learned as an adult- this all started when I was a child.  I learned from watching my Mother that Mother's didn't wear bathing suits. If on the rare occasion they did - they most certainly were not going to get their hair wet or play with their kids. Even though I was never a heavy child I learned that I was to cover my body with a T-shirt  as much as possible. To be ashamed of my natural shape as it wasn't perfect in the eyes of somebody... whoever that was. I lived my life this way until I had my brush with death at 34. Then it was like somebody shook me the next Summer and said "What are you doing? You are wasting your life!" Why did I feel I was not good enough.. because I was then heavy? because someone trained me to feel that way? I was looking into the eye of my then 7 year old daughter and I decided I was not going to pass this garbage one more generation. I didn't care if I needed to lose weight. I was working on it but that was not going to stop me from being a fun Mom. After almost losing my life I know the most important things are memories. I don't want my kids to remember me as a "sideline" Mom. I want them to remember me hitting the water slides, rafting the rivers and being silly and fully submerged in the pool! I want them to remember me making them feel like they were good enough and worthy enough to do the same things. Please remember as a parent the things we say and do can stick with our children for years and spread generations. This Summer if you are in a cycle like I have explained stop it for your children. Go buy bathing suits for you and your children that make you happy and feel confident. Go play in a pool! Who cares who is looking the only eyes that matter are your children's and the laughs and smiles will make it all worth it! If you need to instill healthier living into your lives do it - just don't do it as a punishment. Do it as a fun family activity. Little changes in our lives can lead to big things. Change the next generation. No more sideline Moms!