How running and family fit together #microadventuresforkids

I have been promoting #lifeworktrailbalance for some time. But how do running and family actually fit together? At first glance, they do not: you are often alone outdoors for one or several hours. Look more closely and, hopefully, that time helps you recover from everyday stress, ground yourself and then give your family your full attention. Today, though, I want to share another example of how those two parts of life came together perfectly for me.

I set off at seven for a short morning run. In my headphones was Nicola Schmidt’s audiobook “Erziehen ohne Schimpfen” — parenting without scolding. She was talking about developmentally appropriate parenting and a game where gummy bears rain from the sky. I looked around. Minus five degrees, and nature was covered in a thick layer of ice:

Just before I left, my wife and I had discussed what to do with the children that morning. Yet another zoo visit, or a café with a play corner? Suddenly it struck me. Why do I get to go on #microadventures, bivouacking in a snow hole or running through the night, while my family’s adventures are usually the same? I had an idea! I ran home and told Anna and Anton over breakfast about the Snow Queen — Elsa, of course — who had worked hard in the forest and covered everything in ice. We needed to go out and help the poor trees shake off the heavy load.

So we set off, equipped with sticks:

We shook the branches hard, freeing the bushes and trees from the Snow Queen’s heavy ice.

Admittedly, after all that hard work, we had earned coffee and cake at the café after all.

It would be presumptuous to say running and family always fit together well, even for me. But today, I am grateful that my morning run inspired this idea.

Have you had good ideas while running? What #microadventuresforkids do you enjoy? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments!