Names have been changed to protect the innocent. Though I could have used my own name because it sounds so familiar to what goes on in our house!
Michelle couldn’t bear the moaning any longer. She just wanted to enjoy her Saturday morning coffee in peace. Luca was hobbling out of his bedroom complaining that his sore, tight calves meant he wouldn't be able to enjoy skateboarding with his friends that afternoon.
Trials for the football team had gone on all week and Michelle knew that, as usual, Luca hadn’t been stretching after each session. Stretching is FAR too dull for a teenager! So, as usual, he was going to have muscle pain all weekend. And all the family would hear about it!
Not this time thought Michelle! She ran a warm bath, added some muscle recovery bath soak and told Luca to hop in. Cue eye-rolling and grumbling about what a waste of time it would be when he really should be answering his friends on Snapchat about where they were meeting later. But in he got.
25 minutes later of blissful peace later, Michelle had to call him to ‘Get out now!’ because she needed to use the bathroom. Luca didn’t moan about his legs for the rest of the day, and didn’t even get grumpy* when the skateboarding session got cut short.
Michelle didn’t mention anything more about the bath, or the wet towel left on the floor (clever mum!). But guess what? After football training the next Tuesday, as soon as he got home and flung his smelly soccer boots in the hall, Luca went to run himself a bath …
The little things we mums do for our kids can make a big difference.
Just never tell them ‘I told you so’!!
* So why does an Epsom salt based bath help your child to relax mentally as well as physically?
It’s because the magnesium it contains is an essential mineral that helps to stabilise mood and relieve stress and anxiety. And that goes for mums too!
On the body recovery side of things, magnesium is a muscle-relaxant and reduces lactic acid, the stuff that causes post-exercise pain. Relaxed muscles are less likely to suffer injury than tight, tense ones. Interestingly, magnesium also provides an energy boost at the same time as being a relaxant. Annoyingly, the more you exercise, the more magnesium your body uses up. Getting good quality magnesium is really important for your young athlete and sports player.
Team work makes the dream work! If you know some other parents of the kids on the team, or in your child’s swim club or athletics group etc, please share this info with them.
If you’d like to try some SO:Active sports recovery bath soak for your child (or yourself!), use code ACTIVE to get 20% off.
At Salt & Oil we make magnesium-filled bath soaks and magnesium oil sprays to help you relax and feel good. And we support other NZ businesses by stocking their well-being gifts.
If you'd like to find out more, and be in to win our monthly gift draw, sign up to our Weekly Soak email for offers and info:
Best wishes
Dionne x