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Sharon Boller's avatar

You are exactly right in recognizing that young children are a huge challenge in addressing fitness or reading goals. I wonder, though, if you have considered that setting a boundary with your son re: an acceptable “getting up” time could help. Parenting young children is physically demanding. I wish you success in finding a bit of space for yourself amidst that challenge. I know that our long ago boundary setting re: acceptable times to leave the room in the morning (for us it was 7 a.m.) was a godsend - mostly because I often worked until 1 or 2 in the morning and I needed at least a few hours of sleep before launching into the day. My husband rose at 5 a.m. so he could get out the house for a morning run by 5:30, something he could not have done if a child popped up and wanted dad to engage with him at that time. My kids had plenty of books/toys in their room if they woke extra early. It was not a hardship for them to wait until 7 to come get me.) I squeezed reading into a 10 or 15-minute window before shutting off the light. Usually, I managed only a few pages before sleep hit. You sound like a great dad and a thoughtful man. This season of your life is physically demanding. I hope you find the moments of respite you need within it. Reading more will come as your kids get older. For now, though, I hope you find a morning boundary that enables you to better ease into your days.

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