But everything else is positive . The double play win-win scenario is not only that I get to spend quality time with my daughters during the week while they earn their ice-cream , but I also get to spend quality time with them while they eat their icecream . I guess that whilst you can ’ t have your cake and eat it , you can earn your ice-cream and eat it !
The allure of Paul ’ s Homemade Ice-Cream is stronger than any electronic device
A couple of months in and the “ Burn calories – Eat ice cream – Accrue calories ” virtuous cycle is working brilliantly . However , I know I will need to mix things up in future to prevent the icecaps from melting . I ’ ve already added a “ Perfect Month Incentive ,” which includes an end-of-month waffle plus toppings bonus if the goal is achieved every week of that month . Meanwhile , my eldest is entering the fashionista stage of her life and wants a pair of Converse shoes , which are a lot more expensive than ice cream . I may need to enlist help from one of the actuaries at Vitality to calculate a sneaker-earning algorithm . walks ( with sporadic bouts of running ) provided rich conversation about our respective days , interests and aspirations . Siri and Spotify combined to provide a musical soundtrack to these excursions as we educated each other on our refined musical tastes .
As a result , my youngest daughter has become a fan of the Bangles . We play Manic Monday every Monday on the drive to school , and Walk Like An Egyptian is also on high rotation . During one of our walks , she insisted that every time the Bangles belted out the chorus , we actually had to “ walk like an Egyptian .” We were having great fun giving Tutankhamen a good run ( or should that be walk ) for his money , when she blurted out in delight , “ Dad , we ’ re total dorks !”
A short while into her first cycle in many moons , my reluctantly exercising eldest daughter exclaimed , “ This is fantastic , Dad , why didn ’ t we do this sooner ?” During driveway walks , she has diligently set about giving me a musical re-education . You might be wondering how a father in his mid-40s keeps an open mind whilst listening to the discordant sounds and wrathful lyrics that appeal to the ears of a budding teenager , but I try to keep an open mind by travelling back in time to my formative musical years , which were sandwiched between Axl Rose welcoming me to the jungle and smelling Kurt Cobain ’ s teen spirit .
A virtuous circle
Thinking Long Term
I guess this is an iterative and evolving process . Right now , I am already looking ahead wondering how many fitness points for a Matric Dance dress , if it ’ s viable to have an incentivised curfew time , and whether I can get a “ This is how many fitness points you need to date my daughter ” expansion plan past my wife . ( I have actually run a marathon with my father-in-law , but that was not a condition of marriage .)
The bottom line is that no matter how much money I end up paying , this is a rewards programme that keeps on giving : I get to spend more time with my girls , they are physically and mentally healthier , and I get to eat the best ice-cream in town every week – and that is truly priceless !
My youngest enjoys her “ perfect month ” waffle bonus . ( As you can see , Dad earned his perfect month reward , too )
Not Without its Challenges
It is sometimes hard work to get my daughters into their running shoes , but they are always much happier afterwards . The shift in mood is tangible , post-exercise family dinners are a pleasure , and our household volatility index has returned to pre-COVID levels . Even better , to date , we ’ ve achieved an almost perfect record of at least one scoop a week . The only downside is that I seldom experience relaxed Friday afternoons anymore , because the twilight hours at the end of the working week are usually spent in frantic last-minute exercise binges to meet a scoop threshold !
About the Author
The Running Mann has run over 240 marathons and ultras , and his current mission is to run every marathon in South Africa . He recently fulfilled a lifetime goal of securing a shoe sponsorship from The Sweatshop Broadacres and Asics South Africa ( and a running kit sponsorship from Runderwear ), thus allowing him to run more races and share their stories . You can follow his adventures on Twitter , Facebook or Instagram , and on his popular blog .
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