You know it’s not hard to exercise with your kids. However, when the demands of time start to work on you, life sometimes arrives at a point where it’s 11:30 pm, you’re trying to fall asleep, and you suddenly realize that yet another day slipped by when you did not get to go for that walk with your daughter or play tennis with your son. And you think, “How can I actually stick to this?”

My three kids are all involved in at least three after-school activities, and none of them can drive yet, so I have a second job that I call Mom’s Taxi Service. Luckily, I have had this job for 15 years, during which I have learned to make the most of waiting times.

Throughout history the United States has succumbed to many epidemics. Yellow fever, cholera, the Spanish flu, H1N1 – these infections have cost literally thousands of lives. Today, our nation is facing the most challenging epidemic yet. This epidemic can’t be “caught” and is perhaps more deadly than any of its predecessors, for no one is immune. Obesity, especially childhood obesity, is our greatest threat.

As I sit and watch my daughter’s gymnastics class, I am surrounded by all of the parenting styles I could ever imagine. I listen to the comments, dialogue, and discussions. I also observe the body language and interactions. It is all very interesting to me. Naturally, my question is which one are you?