It Takes a Village For Mom to Get to the Gym

Earlier this week, I shared many images of mothers exercising with their little kids in tow to my IG stories. While those women are particularly badass and clearly exemplify the phrase “get it done”, I realize that not everyone wants to workout with their kids right there. Me included. 2020 gave me more than enough time exercising with my kids. Forget the physicality of working out with little ones climbing all over you or asking for a snack mid set, but mentally, the ability to focus solely on your own health and wellness, if only for 45 minutes a day, is quite sacred. Personally, September gives me a renewed sense of my own wellness. I can finally devote time to myself after I drop all three off at school. But what about those mamas (and papas) that don’t yet drop off all of their kids, or do so only for part of the day?

It’s no surprise that a large portion of the population on the Main Line consists of families with children under the age of 12. These families are struggling to figure out where and how to fit in exercise. The reality of family life is so much busier than I could have ever imagined. Recently, I sat around a table of women with young children. All were members of the YMCA right now for one main reason - childcare. UMLYMCA is one of the only places in the area that you can still bring your kids and drop them off to play, while you go upstairs to sweat for an hour or more. That and Lifetime. But for the cost of Lifetime, it’s probably cheaper to just hire a babysitter to come to your house while you run out to the gym.

I had fantasized about publishing this article with a long list of the gyms and studios where you could drop your kids while you exercise. But sadly when I started outreach, I found that gym childcare seems to be a thing of the past. Places like La Maison and Barre 3 that had childcare before the pandemic never brought it back. Once some gyms took it away, they realized that they could still thrive without childcare. They reasoned that there was no need to bring back this service that sometimes costs more than it would make. But there is a major problem with that reasoning—people still have kids. And moms and dads still want to exercise, kid free, outside of their home.

So if that’s you, I did manage to find a handful of boutique style gyms in the area that have some childcare hours available. Their playrooms are clean and their babysitters are qualified. So here is my list, albeit much shorter than what I had hoped to give you.

Purenergy in Paoli is one of these boutique style gyms with some childcare services. At Purenergy, mom or dad can take a yoga class, spin, do pilates or barre, or strength train while their littles ones are playing just steps away. Purenergy offers childcare Monday through Friday from 8:30 am -12 pm for $5. Owner, Chris Somers, offers “the convenience and assurance of on-site babysitting under the guidance of specially trained, certified and friendly staff.”

The playroom at Purenergy has tons of toys to keep the kids busy.

Remix Fitness offers childcare at both of their group fitness gyms during all midmorning, evening and weekend classes. Remix has the most available childcare that I found. And that’s because the two owners, Tricia Goodman and Mary Cate Wampler, are mothers to young kids themselves. They recognize that their membership is mainly women, and women with children. They understand how important gym childcare is for their members. Remix offers thoughtful programs that incorporate movement and education. Tricia’s elementary education background may be attributed to Remix’s quality programing with their childcare, camps, birthday parties and children’s fitness classes. Babies as young as three months old and children up to the age of six are welcome in childcare. The playroom in the back of the gym is clean and well stocked with toys and crafts that are some of my kids’ favorites. The cost is $5.

This “Lil Remixer” is enjoying play time while her mom gets moving down the hall.

Spenga, the new studio in Wayne that combines spinning, strength training and yoga, is starting off strong (in this mother’s opinion) by offering childcare on some weekday mornings during the 9:30 am classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Up to five children (ages 6 months to 12 years old) can play or watch TV while being supervised by one of the two Spenga staffers who have previous early childhood education and day care experience. For the price of only $5, parents win by joining Spenga!

The playroom at Spenga Wayne has just started to be used.

CrossFit Main Line offers a unique and unconventional form of childcare while mom or dad gets stronger. Owner, Merrilee Davidson not only allows but encourages parents to bring their children to her three CrossFit gyms (in Wayne, Ardmore and Plymouth Meeting). She calls it “leading by example” and you know I am all for that! “Our community understands and appreciates parents’ need to workout and get it in whenever we can.” Merrilee just had her third baby and brings her children to hang out while she leads a class or exercises herself. Members’ kids have watched classes from strollers, Pack ‘n Plays, swings and even inside tires (I wish I had a picture of that!). As long as the little ones are safe and off the training floor, anything goes at CrossFit Main Line. Front desk staff, instructors and other “CrossFitters” will jump in to keep baby happy while mom gets a set in. I’ve witnessed this form of “childcare” at CrossFit Main Line, and it really is something to see. This gym truly encompasses the phrase “it takes a village”.

Little Merrilee smiles proudly at her mom. Yep, mama is strong!