The minute I unroll my yoga mat and step onto it, my son runs up behind me and drops into downward dog. It never fails. He’s so cute that I can’t help but smile and continue with him trailing close behind.

As I watch my son emulate my every move, I realize this is much bigger than me nailing a yoga pose or achieving exactly one hour of exercise. It’s about the time we spend together and the bond that we create.

It’s a wonderful feeling to know that what I’m doing is ‘cool’ enough for him to copy me. I find it amazing that he can just watch me for a few seconds and immediately follow my lead.

I’ve learned to incorporate him into my poses or exercises, which makes our workout sessions active and full of fun (giving horseback rides to an almost 2-year-old must definitely be high on the list of cardio). It’s never a dull moment when he is with me and I always look forward to feeding off of his high energy. I spend so much time being serious and overthinking things that it’s nice to let go and follow his lead for once.

His love for the outdoors has inspired me to get outside and play. As a result, I love practicing yoga in nature and anyplace that I can. I’ve learned that it’s okay to be open-minded and to ease up a bit.

Honestly, I’m happy that he’s a little yogi and loves to spend time doing what Daddy and Momma want to do. It truly warms my heart.

I highly recommend that you try to include your kids in your fitness routine. It’s a great experience and I guarantee you will still get a good workout. You can always get your personal workouts in by getting up earlier, working out during your child’s naptime, taking a class or going to the gym.

I’ve found that including my son in my workouts motivates me to actually exercise. More importantly, I enjoy seeing his smile and hearing his laughter, and that itself is enough for me to keep him near.

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