I love sledding.

I really enjoy zipping down the hill on my son's sled. The rush of the wind, the laughter, the thrill.

Aside from the fact that I love it, I know that exercise gurus tell us that playing with the kids counts as physical activity. I am pretty sure, however, that watching the kids play actively doesn't count. And engaging in exercise sets an example for the children and shows them that it is part of a healthy lifestyle and not just something for the younger set. And my son likes me to sled with him. Oh, have I mentioned that I think it is fun?


Still, when we went to the local hill yesterday, I felt awkward about participating. None of the other parents were going down. There seemed to be a culture of "this is for the kids".


It reminded of a time in Chapel at NEBYC (CYC) when we were having an open discussion about peer pressure. Jed stood up and said, "Adults aren't free from peer pressure. We just have older peers."

I love sledding enough to overcome the awkwardness about joining in. But I wonder how often we all skip things because we are thought to be "too old" or some similar reason. I am hoping to be more aware of these subtle influences and to combat them when necessary.

Have a good day!