Stroller Strides Seattle 3 Year Anniversary and Summer Kick-Off

It is that time of year again where we celebrate our time together! Can’t believe it has been 3 years. It seems like just yesterday that I purchased my very first pair of “fancy pants” aka Lululemon and put them on backwards to teach my very first Stroller Strides class at Green Lake. Boy was I nervous…. That first year we had 2 grand openings, one at Green Lake and one at Alki and there were only 3 of us; myself, Veronique and Sara. The second year we got a little “ahead” of ourselves and hosted ALOT of grand openings with 5 NEW locations.. that was a busy week. Last year we kept it simple with only Madison Park, Green Lake and Alki Beach. This year, we decided to get right to our summer schedule and skip the “grand openings” and instead only celebrate our three years together. It makes for a less stressful week for your instructors, but also hoping that it makes for a huge celebration and tons of fun. Now we just need fingers crossed that it doesn’t rain. I am bringing a tent- so the party will still go on even in the rain. We Train in The Rain….

What an amazing year it has been! I really want to celebrate all of our accomplishments with you all! Franchise of the Year! Wow! Eight instructors…. oh my! Living Social deal that sent us over the charts this spring…

This summer is going to be SO much fun and I can’t wait to hang out with all of you at Green Lake, Madison Park, Alki, Woodland Park Zoo and University Village. I don’t have the opportunity to travel to the north end during the school year, but I plan to teach at all locations this summer and we will have plenty of fun playdates & moms night out throughout the summer! Click on the link for “summer schedule” to find out days and times of classes. Regular schedule will begin on Tuesday May 8th, but ONLY one class for Monday May 7th

As for our Anniversary Celebration on Monday at Alki… you DON”T want to miss it!!! Only moms attending on Monday will receive one of the awesome goody bags that we have… but also we have a ton of raffle prizes from; 2 NEW pairs of running shoes (you choose brand), two $25 gift certificates from Super Jock n Jill, two $15 Gift Certificates from Super Jock n Jill, Starbucks Gift Cards, Gift Card from Babbaco, 60 CUTE shirts from ZocDoc, Episensial Gift Basket, Luna, Popchips (raffle 1 month supply), one 8 week Body Back Session with equipment, milk from Organic Valley, Plum Organics mish mash (think hundreds and hundreds of these), Snooze Shade, babybrezza, Herbal Philosophy Tea, Cupcakes by Leanne & Claudina, Clips by Claudina, jewelry, Stroller Strides Shirts and swag & much much more …. Don’t miss it ladies!!

Give yourself plenty of time to find parking if you haven’t traveled to Alki in a while. Don’t worry if you are late as you will see the HUGE crowd on Alki. Look for the tent and the strollers!

We will have the LOWEST prices of the year for new clients! Current clients, you will receive $10 off your dues for every mom that joins as a monthly member!

So we hope to see you all there to celebrate… because it is going to be a great party!

Light it up BLUE for World Autism Day

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Tomorrow is World Autism Day and tonight I want to share our story. My sweet Taylor is 6 years old and he is the smartest, most unique first grader I know. From the very beginning we have known that he was special… but it wasn’t until he was 5 that we learned that he had Aspergers, a form of Autism. As an infant he was sensitive to stimuli and very dependent on mom. I left my career when he was 6 months old as he just wasn’t “making it” during the days that I went to work. We tried for months to ween him from the breast and on the days I traveled he would go for 10 hours without eating and would become inconsolable. We had an opportunity to move overseas with my husband’s career and we decided that I would become a stay-at-home mom. We noticed very early that he was sensitive and had challenges socially with other children, but we just assumed it was the “terrible 2′s” , then it was “terrible 3′s, then 4′s”. We could always find a reason for his behavior challenges; he was tired, needed a nap, didn’t eat well, or was in a strange place. We didn’t think for a moment that there was something wrong, as a matter of fact we thought just the opposite.

Taylor was smart…not just a little smart, but off the charts smart. By the time he was 2 years old he was completing 100 piece puzzles, his vocabulary was advanced, he was starting to read basic words and he remembered everything. Since we were living overseas and didn’t socialize a whole lot with children his age, we didn’t really have anything to compare it with. It wasn’t until we moved back to the states that we discovered that something was “up”. Never once did we think “Autism”. As he started preschool and we joined different mom’s group, I was continually having challenges with aggression. He just didn’t “get it” and he would hit, push, shove, and throw tantrums when things were not his way or when other children didn’t obey the rules. With Autism- it is all about the “rules”. It would create such anxiety in Taylor that he would completely melt down. As a parent, I was at a loss. People are not always nice when you have a child that has behavior challenges. It was suggested that I take parenting classes, because of course it must be something I was doing. We were politely asked to not attend certain playdates, or parties. I was criticized frequently at the grocery store, at the playground, and the library about his behavior.

I could write page after page about the symptoms, things that happened, our journey to diagnosis… but that isn’t the point of of this post. Thankfully the summer before he was to start Kindergarten his wonderful Preschool Teacher had the courage to tell two parents that they needed to seek help for their child. We are grateful everyday for this wonderful women who did something that couldn’t be easy… tell parents that the child they love more than anything may need help.

I don’t want Taylor to be the poster child for Autism… but I don’t mind being the poster mom for awareness. It is a very difficult journey and for first time parents in can be overwhelming. At times you feel like a failure, like you did something wrong. Other times, people treat you differently or just simply don’t understand. Dr Tony Attwood congratulates parents of Autistic Children when they receive a diagnosis and I am not sad that my Taylor is on the spectrum. Without these wonderfully unique minds we would not have many of the artists of the world, the computer geeks, or other creative minds. I believe that every person on the spectrum has a “gift” and it just needs to be realized and nurtured. I know that my sweet Taylor is going to do something amazing with his “gift” but it will be because we are advocating for him. We received his diagnosis early and are providing him with the services and school that he needs to be successful. Rates for Autism are on the rise, a study released by the CDC just last week states that rates are up to 1 in 88 children. Our Stroller Strides group in Seattle has over 400 active participants.. that means at least 5 Seattle Stroller Strides babies (most likely boys) will be diagnosed with Autism. I want to be open about our experiences and share what I know, educate and empower parents to seek help when needed. I want parents to know that some days it can be hard and you will feel alone and you won’t know what to do, but I also want to encourage parents, that it is going to be ok. The Autistic Mind is a beautiful thing, embrace your child’s gift and educate those around you!

Tomorrow is World Autism Day. Stroller Strides in Seattle is providing two opportunities to raise money for Autism Speaks. Wear your blue to class tomorrow and $1 will be donated. Join us for Mom’s Night Out in West Seattle at Mission, 7PM and wear your blue. Ten dollars from your April dues will be donated to Autism Speaks. Look for education information and an upcoming Mom’s Night Out to educate about signs and symptoms. Thank you for allowing us to share our story. Please feel free to call or email anytime if you want information and input about resources in the Seattle area!

In Health,

Athena Frederick
Mother of two boys
Taylor 6 & Jakson 4

There is a “ME” in Mommy

It has been a long time since we have posted an update and our goal is to update here at least once a week. Hopefully this will become easier now that the “hard” times are behind us.

Most of you know that I have been away for quite some time.. it has been a rough winter season for my family and that is the reason for the post today. Thankfully I will be returning to my wonderful job teaching Stroller Strides & Body Back this week, but boy it has been a rough few weeks.

As a mom of two young boys and a care-provider for another cute little boy …. I am quite busy. I have one child in Elementary School and the other in Preschool. My mornings are super / crazy busy. I teach Body Back on Mondays & Wednesdays, we drop Jakson off at preschool 3 days a week at 9am and Taylor off Monday – Friday at 9:10am and then it is off to teach Stroller Strides with my little buddy, or attend Mom’s Life or MOPS. Throw in my workouts 6 days a week, which I am consistent about and a little PTA time, volunteer time, cooking meals and a little bit of cleaning house (and I mean a little bit) and well you have one ultra busy mom! I am very proud of myself for always taking “me” time and ensuring that I eat healthy & get my work out in. What I am not good about is taking “down time” and well ladies… that is why I found myself in the position I was in this past month or so.

It all started with the stomach flu- which went through the entire house, only to “rear” it’s ugly head again for round number two. Of course, the first day I felt better, I was right back to my ultra- busy schedule and sure enough the Flu hit a week later. Instead of slowing down at that time, I figured that I could tough it out, no way could I get really sick again.. another week of staying super busy and I found myself at the doctors office with a severe case of pneumonia. Dr’s orders… husband stays home for a week and I stay in the bed. NO EXCEPTIONS or I would be hospitalized.. Well, for someone as social as I am and a “go-getter” those are tough words to hear, but when you are so sick that a trip to the bathroom sends you straight to the floor.. you learn to listen.

Thankfully my husband has a career that is supportive of parenthood, so he got to try on “mom’s shoes” for a week and I will admit it was quite amusing listening to him struggle to get the boys out of the house on time (minus an extra toddler that is usually here . I listened to him try to convince the boys to get dressed, eat breakfast and “get things together or we are going to be late”. He completed the “drop offs” and started his real work with conference calls and emails. … only to be interrupted in 2 hours to do preschool pick-up, lunch, nap… and then try to do some more work. Only to be interrupted once again for elementary school pick up, then it was 3 hours of homework, dinner (which he didn’t have to cook because amazing friends delivered) and then bath/ bedtime and to find himself on the computer for the rest of the evening trying to catch up on “work.” My husband used to complain about the time I spent on the computer in the evening – until this experience. He said to me “I can’t get anything done- every time I start to work, some one needs something or I have to pick up or drop off.” Music to my ears. Needless to say after almost 3 weeks of this, there is a greater appreciation for all that “mom” does.

I share all of this with you because we are all moms. Faced with so much responsibility that when we are “down” it is hard for the household to survive. So many times we spend all of our time taking care of others… and not much time taking care of ourselves. I commend you all for taking time to exercise with Stroller Strides or Body Back… but let me ask you this, do you take time to cook yourself a good meal? Or are you eating the scraps from your toddlers plate? Trust me on this one… with cold & flu season the LAST thing you want to do is that. Since January I have made it a habit to wake up super early and cook, yes cook a nutritious meal for MYSELF. The first few weeks of doing this… made things SO stressful, but now that it is part of my routine… it is easy. No more cold cereal or small bites here and there.. I have a hot nutritious meal 3 times a day, NO exceptions!!

Are you drinking your water? I have a water bottle with me at all times… and I encourage my children to drink enough, so when I encourage them.. I take a drink as well. How about some “mom” time… other than just your exercise. Do you read? Are you watching some good “mindless” TV during nap? Well, why not? Just because Junior is down for a nap- it doesn’t mean that you have to do the million things on your “to do” list. Life will go on if you don’t fold that load of laundry or do those dishes right now. Take a little “me” time. How about a Mom’s Night Out? A little adult time with other moms can be so rejuvenating. When is the last time you took a bath? Why don’t you let Dad do the bedtime ritual and you go take a long, hot bath alone? Again… those chores can wait… but your emotional well- being can NOT.

There are a lot of misconceptions about “working out” and getting sick. I believe that by incorporating fitness in to my life it helps me to stay healthy! A good “rule of thumb” with the common cold is if it is above the neck – work out … if it is in your chest take some time off. If you just feel tired and worn down… take some time “off.” I believe that the reason I got SO sick is because I am unable to say “no” at times. I can’t miss church, or MOPS, I can’t take a day off from Stroller Strides, I can’t miss that “run”, but you know what?? I can. This world will survive if I don’t make it to all of these events… it is ok to just take some time.

I was tempted to return to work last week as my fever was gone and I was no longer coughing. I was extremely tired and still very weak.. but I was super close to returning to work. Until some great friends … wouldn’t take “no” for an answer and encouraged me to just rest another week. Stroller Strides would survive without me… we do have 7 other amazing instructors and the world wouldn’t end if I was “off” for another week. I also accepted the assistance from my mommy friends. Two weeks of meals delivered to my house, has enabled me to rest and not worry about taking care of the family. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Trust me.. if you ask one of your mommy friends to take “junior” for the morning so you can rest, I can assure you that she will gladly accept your assistance when she is in need. It is hard to ask for help… but sometimes we just need to do it.

Look out for one another! If you see one of your mommy friends “struggling” – ask her what you can do. I have always been the one helping others… and this time it was MY turn to let the mommy-village help ME and boy did it make things easier.

Bottom line ladies… is that we have families that depend on us to survive. Moms are the very “heart & soul” of the family and if mommy isn’t taking care of herself.. then it is really hard to take care of others. There is a “ME” in mommy and I have discovered that in a way this week that will change forever how I operate. I will never again take for granted my health… I don’t want my busy schedule to stop. I LOVE my boys, Stroller Strides, my little Stroller Strides buddy, and all of the awesome groups that I participate in…..but I AM going to ask for help when I need it, hire that once a month housekeeper that I have been wanting for so long, take that bath and do my yoga, and I am going to read my books. Life is too short…. we don’t have to always be “on” we need to have some down time in order to take care of ourselves.

I look forward to seeing you all in class soon and I hope that this post will encourage you to take some “ME” time.

In Health & Happiness!
Athena
Mother of two boys

Source: google.com via James&Jax on Pinterest

Franchisee of the Year!! We did it!

One week ago I attended the National Stroller Strides virtual conference with fellow instructor Kylie. We sat in front of the computer watching new exercise ideas and class formats and chatted a little while drinking coffee and watching the kiddos. The winner of the Franchisee of the Year was going to be announced at the end of the call and while I was SUPER excited to be in the top 3, I didn’t think for a second that we would win. The other Franchisees from Arizona and North Carolina were phenomenal and I found it an honor to make it in the top 3 with these two superstars!

Kylie left to put her little ones down for nap and my Jakson went to the neighbors. Imagine my surprise as I watched the last few minutes of virtual conference when they announced that Athena, the Seattle Stroller Strides Franchisee was the winner! I was in complete shock & I danced, hopped, screamed around the room all while my old Basset Hound Rosie looked at me like I was crazy. I contemplated picking her up & doing a little dance.. but thought better of it. I was thinking, why didn’t I plan a party with the instructors and / or my Stroller Strides buds??.. I thought about opening a bottle of champagne that was left over from a holiday party, but I had a first grader that needed mom to pick him up at 3:30. So instead I just I just paced the room, looked at FB, and stayed in shock for the rest of the afternoon. The highlight of the day was when I told my oldest son that we had won a big award with Stroller Strides. As he flashed his million dollar smile, he asked “does that mean you are the bestest Stroller Strides mom out there?” my heart melted and the look of pride on his face was priceless!

Our playdate captains Shannon & Debs did an amazing job planning our holiday events as I spent the entire weekend out with the ladies celebrating. From a couples dinner on Friday night to an afternoon at the Spa on Saturday.

You might ask why I reacted the way that I did…… There are so many franchisees across the country (almost 300) and through social media I am amazed to watch the impact they are making on their communities. I know we are doing great things in Seattle – but they are doing AMAZING things all over the country! It truly is such an honor to be in a business that spreads so much good will to families everywhere.

While winning the Award of Stroller Strides Franchisee of the Year was a phenomenal accomplishment this year, nothing can compare to the kind words that many of you shared during the nomination process. In order to be considered for this award, your clients must nominate you.

Through this process we are able to read some of the testimonials that were sent in anonymously from clients. These kind words are what show us business owners the impact we are making in our community. For me these types of intrinsic rewards are worth far more than anything else. I remember very clearly when I found Stroller Strides in the midst of Postpartum Depression and how it literally saved my life. To know that I am doing that everyday with our team in Seattle just makes me feel so good from the inside out.

I truly love this job and care about each and every mom (and child) in our group. I consider it such an honor to be a part of this most special time in your life. I am grateful to the most amazing team of moms (and friends) that I could ever ask for and for the fantastic partnerships we have created throughout the community.

Most of all I am thankful for the opportunity to have a career that is so supportive of motherhood. This has been one of the most challenging years for me personally, but I have been able to put my family first and still run a successful business because of our awesome team. Stroller Strides Franchisees all over the country are proving that it is possible to be a “hands on” mommy and mompreneur.

I am excited for the future with Stroller Strides in Seattle. We are always looking to expand our business and provide more opportunities for you. Look for new Body Back class locations and Fit4Baby in January. We will continue with our Luna Moms on a Mission and we will support clean water initiatives, the local food banks, and women’s shelters, and our goal is to have a LUNAFEST in the spring to raise money for Autism Speaks!

To celebrate our wonderful year in 2011 we are offering free classes until the end of the year. So tell your friends, get out there to Body Back or Stroller Strides for the next two weeks for FREE!

Thank you so much for your support & Happy Holidays!

In Health,

Athena Frederick
Seattle Stroller Strides Franchisee
Franchisee of the Year 2011
Mother of two boys

Just Go to Class… a post by instructor Tenley

“Just go to class” the little voice in my head said.

My mind started whining back, “But I am not feeling that great, and Cub needs a nap, and it is a quite a long drive to SODO, do I really feel like working out?”

The last 5 weeks had been rough. My husband’s job situation had drastically changed, which altered our lifestyle. My 3 1/2 yr son, T Bear, started Preschool, Cub turned 1 yr old and had become super mobile, and I was generally feeling overwhelmed and stressed everyday. Besides trying to balance being a mom and wife, I was teaching Stroller Strides.

That being said, it had been a long time since I had actually gone to a Stroller Strides class to get a workout for myself. Monday morning came and I knew it was a perfect opportunity for me to go to a class.

I dropped T Bear off at preschool and started the drive to SODO. That is when the I started thinking if going to class was such a good idea. I was tired, Cub needed a nap, and more reasons started to surface. I pushed them aside and loaded up the stroller.

Hilary was teaching class. As we warmed up we did introductions. It was great to be with many familiar faces and meet some great new moms. Hilary said she was pushing the cardio to show that you can still get a good workout indoors.

I took a deep breath and started running. The workout proved to be intense. Lunges, running, push ups, sprinting, jumping and more. My heart was pounding and sweat was dripping off my face. “I don’t want to do 5 more jumping lunges Hilary!” I screamed inside my head. Then I did 5 more jumping lunges and smiled at my baby to make him think that his mommy was really enjoying the workout.

After an intense hour, the class finally ended. My fatigued body took a long drink of water and I felt rejuvenated. I was glad that I listened to that little voice in my head that told me to go to class. Getting a workout made me feel so much better about myself and what I wanted to accomplish that day.

It is not easy to get out the door to Strollers Strides. Babies need to eat, sleep or have fussy periods. Moms are sleep deprived and at times overwhelmed with life. The wonderful thing about exercise is that can rejuvenate your body and soul.

So listen to that little voice in your head and “Just go to class!”

-Tenley

*Thanks Hilary for a great workout!

Season’s Change Part 2

Stroller Strides in Seattle is more than just a business, it is about a community of women working through this very challenging and rewarding role of motherhood. We will be celebrating 3 years in business this spring and it has been an honor sharing this journey with all of you! Many of our clients were at our very first class almost three years ago. Most of them had very young babies and we have watched friendships grow not only between the moms, but with the children as well. We have watched them celebrate milestones; birthdays, first tooth, first smiles, walking, and so many more. It has been such an honor to watch the friendships grow and see the community that has developed among all of you. I know that many of your closest friends have been a direct product of meeting one another at Stroller Strides. You share common interests, have babies the same age, and have traveled this journey together.

We have watched almost all of our “founding moms” as they have gotten pregnant with baby number two! Almost all of you were pregnant during the same time (to include our instructors, which I am thankful that your awesome instructor team “spaced” out the timing of the pregnancy. Last year we would have one instructor on maternity leave, she would return and the next would go on maternity leave.) Our clients watched these amazing instructors continue to make fitness a priority and recover after childbirth with amazing strength, all which I think were motivating for the expecting moms in class. It was not always easy though! When you add that second child, things do become different. “Seasons” change… maybe Stroller Strides became difficult with two and the youngest ones’ nap time. Last year we had two instructor that used to teach 2 to 3 days a week, ask to lessen hours to 1 day a week. Only to turn around after 6 months or so and request to teach more. “Season’s” change and that is to be expected.

I share all of this with you all so you know that YOU are not alone! This role of motherhood goes through “ups & downs” and some “seasons” are challenging and some are easy, but it is so worth it! Just last week two of our founding moms asked to transfer to a 10 block pass for a “season” and I know how hard it was for both of them. They love Stroller Strides, but they were going through a difficult “season.” One of the moms stated that it felt like she was breaking up with “us” and that is simply not the case. Both of these moms are doing what is going to work best for them during this “season” and the most important thing we want to do is to encourage these moms to continue to “press” on. Change of “seasons” are hard and then they get easy and THIS TOO SHALL PASS.

Our Stroller Strides is so much more than a business and Luna Moms Club is about building that community. Just because a mom changes their status as a “member” with Stroller Strides, doesn’t mean she is no longer part of our family/ community. We want her to continue with the Mom’s Night Out, playdates, join us after class, no one is going to question a thing. We have built this community and as we go through these changes of “season” it is important to rely on that community that you are part of.

For those moms who have children the same age as me, we too are going through a “change of season.” Our children are in preschool and elementary school and sometimes Stroller Strides just doesn’t work with our schedule. That doesn’t mean that I have said “good-bye” to my Stroller Strides friends. We now do Body Back, running club, and Luna Mom’s Club together. We are helping one another navigate the challenging world of choosing the right school, shuffling school drop offs and the like. Because of the community of moms I have built through Stroller Strides I am now able to navigate this new world better. We do babysitting “swaps” – you may have noticed the new lil Stroller Strider that joins me for class. He is a Body Back mom/ former Stroller Strides mom’s son. He goes to Stroller Strides with me so I don’t have an empty stroller and so his mom can work. In return, his mom watches my boys if I have an appointment. COMMUNITY- that is what it is all about. Don’t forget the most important thing that you have found is that community with Stroller Strides.

As we go through this “season” of change, remember all of this. We have a whole new group of moms with younger babies, that may be intimidated by all of the “older” moms (and I don’t mean in age ). Reach out to them, connect, empower! Share some of the useful tips you have learned, whether it is about sleeping through the night, teething, etc. Remember how hard it was to join a new group and remember how scary it is to be a new mom. As we go through this “season” of change, don’t be scared to expand your horizons. New moms can be friends with moms who have older children and vice versa We can all learn and grow through these experiences and continue empower one another through this challenging and rewarding role of motherhood!

In Friendship & Health,
Athena Frederick

Season’s Change Part 1

As we head in to the winter months, I thought it was appropriate to write a blog post about change. When we talk about season’s changing- it not only applies to the weather, but to our lives as well. With our Stroller Strides classes we will move indoors or to new outdoor venues with covered shelters. We will break out the heavy duty blankets and layers and be prepared for the cold. We move our classes away from the water; the beautiful beach at Alki, Green Lake, and the water front view at Madison Park. Some of these classes will move to an indoor location such as SODO Arena Sports, Miller Community Center, and West Seattle Christian. Other classes will remain outdoors such as Mosaic, Woodland Park Zoo, and University Village. We take advantage of the overhead shelter at these venues, but we do try to stay outside for the winter months. It is also interesting to see the moms that are in the different locations who prefer to either be indoors or outside. Our West Seattle moms really appreciate the nice spacious areas indoor like the gym at West Seattle Christian, but our North end moms at Mosaic prefer to stay outside for as long as possible. They may use Mosaic’s indoor space as a place for abs, but unless the weather is really, really bad, those moms are outside. I love the different options and honestly I am glad that we change venues for winter & summer. It keeps things fresh. Instead of playdates at the wading pool and the beach, we opt for indoor play areas, coffee playdates, and arts and crafts.

I also love the holiday season where we can enjoy specialty classes such as the Halloween themed classes, Veteran’s Day Boot Camp, the “butterball burn”, the candy cane themed workout and our “little black dress” workout which is a favorite. This is also a season for “giving back” and our Luna Mom’s On a Mission team is busy preparing canned food items for the White Center Foodbank and clothes and toys for the Salvation Army’s Domestic Violence Shelter, the Hickman House.

The only downside to this change of “season” is the addition of cold and flu season. You will see many more schedule swaps especially since most of our instructors have 2 children. Trying to stay healthy during the winter season can be a challenge, but remember all the important rules! Drink plenty of fluids, wash hands, exercise (yes I said exercise) and dress appropriately for the weather. Many new moms are overwhelmed when the first round of “colds” or flu like symptoms arrive, but let me tell you as a mom of two children if you stay home every time someone has a runny nose, you won’t get out of the house from October until April. Our pediatrician offered some very sound advice that has saved my sanity through the winter months (and I write this as I am suffering from my first cold of the season).

Reasons to stay home:

1) Fever- wait 24 hours after the fever has broken

2) If it is “green” stay home! If we stay home every time our child has a runny nose- lets face it… we will never get out. If discharge is green- then most likely there is an infection, so please stay home.

3) Diarrhea or vomiting- use the 24 hour rule

4) unexplained rash

5) pink eye

If you or baby/ toddler just simply has the common cold, there is no reason to stay home. If you are truly tired, run down, and not feeling well then obviously stay home. If you or baby/toddler simply has a cold, then come on out for class! The baby/toddler is in the stroller during class, so no reason you can’t get a workout in! If someone in our family has a cold we just follow these rules:

1) Wash hands and/or use hand sanitizer

2) teach your child to cough in their elbow- not hand

3) if baby has a significant cough or snotty nose- just keep them in stroller after class. We all know that with little ones everything goes in the mouth- so keeping the germ sharing to a minimum is appreciated.

So our biggest advice to all of you is the embrace the winter season! We still have amazing time with Stroller Strides in Seattle and the Luna Moms Club, we just play smart during this season. Don’t hesitate to ask other moms in class for their advice and don’t hibernate this season because of the sniffles… get out there!!

In Health,

Athena Frederick

Happy Halloween!!! AND our Winter Schedule

Hello everyone! I know that it takes a while to get used to new things, and that is where we are. As we transition to our Winter Schedule, it is important that you pay attention to emails, FB posts, and of course our blog. If possible, please bookmark our blog so that you can go to one place to receive all the latest and greatest information. You don’t have to be a member of Facebook, Twitter, or any other social media sites to get the updated news. You can check here and take a look at the right hand side of the page to find out what is going on. With the Viaduct work that is going on, winter viruses and new locations; there will be changes and we know it is easy to get confused. We want you to be informed, so please let us know if you are not getting information. We also don’t want to send a million emails- that is the reason for the social media sites and this blog. We want it to be convenient for you, because we all know that life is busy as a mom and getting a ton of email is no fun for anyone, myself included.

We will be providing copies of the winter schedule at the Winter Kick-off next Monday, November 7th at Arena Sports SODO. The schedule includes your instructors cell numbers, don’t hesitate to text one of them or call if you have questions. I take calls and text messages from clients all of the time 425-894-8641. The winter schedule can also be found under the tab at the top of the page that says “current schedule”, you will click on Winter Schedule to find out what the schedule will be starting November 7th.

At the SODO kickoff (no Zoo class this day) we will have prizes, goody bags for the first 20 people, bouncy houses, a great class, and a FREE Lil Kickers (soccer) class for those who are 18 months or older. You don’t want to miss this one! It will start at 9:45am, but give yourself plenty of time to find us as SODO Arena Sports is right on 99, so the first time you come out, traffic might be challenging. Even if you are late, join us any way for some fun as we will be hanging around for a while.

I hope that all locations enjoyed the Halloween activities. Please feel free to send us any pictures that you may have taken. I know change is hard, but hang in there! We will get used to the new winter schedule very soon and I promise, you will still have a blast with Stroller Strides in Seattle!

Warmest Wishes,
Athena Frederick
Owner & Instructor
Mom of two boys

Our Very Own Blog!

We wanted for all of you to have one place that you can go to for information regarding Stroller Strides, Body Back, Luna Moms Club, and upcoming events. Take a look around and get to know your Instructors, see the class schedule, and get “connected” with us on Meetup, Facebook, our Monthly Newsletter and our website.

Let us know what you think!