Spending quality time with your daughter is essential to create a healthy and solid mama-daughter relationship. Did you know that a lot of daughters can grow to resent their mothers over time? More often than not, a fractured relationship is the underlying cause for their feelings. As a parent, you have to build a relationship with your child at every stage. Through childhood and teenage years, a healthy relationship can avoid many issues. Establishing trust doesn’t happen naturally. It is something that, as a parent, you need to continually prove as your daughter grows older. Ultimately, the expectations of a child change as she grows, and these will reflect on your relationship. They keep you on your toes!
The more quality time you can carve out from your busy schedule for your daughter, the better it is for your relationship. Yet, your day has only 24 hours. Keeping on top of everything you need to do, and having time for your family can be challenging. But you can combine your workout routine with mother-daughter time. Finding sports and workout activities you can do together allows you to discover another side of each other’s personalities and have fun together. Besides, as a mother, you can also use the time to introduce healthy habits, such as maintaining an active lifestyle.
Which activities are suitable for you and your daughter? The list is long and always growing! Ideally, you want to pick something that you both enjoy doing. There’s no point in forcing your daughter to do something she loathes! Additionally, it’s the perfect opportunity to challenge each other and try out something new. Here are some ideas to get you started. But, by all means, feel free to add your twist to the list of fun sports activities for mamas and daughters.
Jump on the flexibility bandwagon
Nobody is too young or too old to build up their flexibility. Stretches are essential to relax your muscles, so they’re a fantastic addition to your Saturday morning activities. What better way to start the weekend than to follow an online flexibility class together? Bonus point is you can bring the mat to the garden to stretch in the sun! It’s no surprise that a lot of mamas enjoy practicing yoga with their kids. It’s a safe and grounding activity that is ideal for young kids. You’d be surprised by how many tantrums you can avoid when you encourage your toddler daughter to follow your yoga workout!
Yoga also encourages young kids to develop their balance quickly. So you may find that toddlers are a lot more self-assured on their legs. As your daughter grows older, she may want to further work on her flexibility and mobility, at which point dance or gymnastics classes can be a great idea. And you can still practice together in the garden during the weekend! Your daughter could even teach you some new moves she’ll have learned from the gym teacher.
A swim team
Most babies enjoy being in water from an early age. They find it soothing. For babies, swimming can help develop muscles so that they can lift their heads and become mobile more confidently. Families who have a swimming pool in the garden report that regular swimming is an excellent way of keeping the kids cool and engaged in summer. However, if you have a pool, do make sure to establish safety precautions to avoid any accident. Young children should not be left unattended. Additionally, if you have pets, you want to protect the perimeters of the pool.
When your daughter gets older, you can build up on the swimming activities. Doing lengths in the pool can get dull over time. But you can introduce safe diving and water ball sports too.
Is running okay with kids?
Runners are often unsure about starting running with children. You shouldn’t take young children or inexperienced teenagers to your daily run. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get them used to the joys of running. Long-distance running could be dangerous for untrained young bodies. But young kids are full of energy, and they can rapidly work their ways through a 3 miles race from age 10 and above. You can dedicate a morning trying out different running styles together, from short bursts of energy with sprints to endurance runs. Why not time each other and see how you both improve over time?
Cycling with a twist
The prospect of spending a morning outside is appealing in summer, especially if you can bring a basket of food for an improvised picnic on the go! Running makes it tricky to carry food around. But if you’re cycling, you can safely bring a snack and some water with you. Cycling with kids can be tricky, depending on their age groups and confidence on a bike. You can add a coupler to your bike if your daughter is still young, which means that you attached a small child’s bike to yours. If you’re planning a long distance track, the coupler is a great option. Older kids, from 8 and above, are happy following you on their own bicycles. You can also combine your ride with sustainable foraging. Learning where to find healthy and yummy foods in the wild, such as wild garlic and asparagus, can give you a reason for riding together every week.
A burst of energy through dance and martial arts
It seems odd to suggest joining a martial arts class together. But if you haven’t tried Capoeira classes before, you need to give the elegant Brazilian dance and combat form a go. It is a safe way of learning body control while releasing your energy. For active children, it is a fun activity that enhances concentration. If your daughter loves video games, you can encourage her to join you at a Capoeira lesson. Learning to combine some of the coolest combat moves and graceful dance hits the sweet spot for many kids. Besides, martial arts also teaches respect and self-control, helping many teens to go through adolescence more peacefully.
Sports can bring mamas and daughters closer than ever. Finding an activity you both enjoy can help your relationship grow. Besides, exercising encourages your daughter to develop her mobility, balance, and concentration. At any age, being active is fun and healthy. Being active together is a safe way of making time for your daughter.