in before the rest of the family wakes up. For many moms, this option does not work however. It is dark out normally this early in the morning, and it is not always safe to be out alone plus it presents the risk of being hit by passing vehicles that cannot see runners during the pre- dawn hours. Moms once again have to get creative and problem solve! Some mothers compensate by bringing their baby jogging strollers and run with their children in tow. Other moms, who have children old enough to ride bikes, simply have their child bring along their bicycle so that they can ride along side or nearby them. However, this is not the ideal de-stressing opportunity that running can and should be. Oftentimes, moms are so worried about the children falling off their bikes or riding too far off, that Mom simply can’t enjoy her run! With that being said, many moms have decided to create a Mom Swap! Here is how it works: a group of 3-5 moms with similar schedules form a group and decide on days and times they can all meet at a variety of locations or the same location to simplify things. Good places to choose are locations with parks nearby or along the running path. Several of our local running trails have play areas along the course somewhere…a play area usually consists of swings, rock walls, slides, and/or jungle gyms. The moms then decide which moms will run first and the other moms stay and watch the children. Moms can decide on how long they will exercise and then switch and give the other moms the same amount of time. Some may wish to start with 30 minutes and then work up to an hour as the children and moms start to become familiar with one another. With a Mom Swap, it’s a win-win for all! The kids enjoy their park time and playing with the other children and Mom gets to run without all the distractions and interruptions. Plus, it allows for some down time for the moms watching the children to sit and talk and get to know one another and share ideas. Moms may want to also take turns providing snacks for the kids to enjoy. Once the group gets going, it would be an time saver if they could go ahead and eat dinner while at the park….moms could take turns bringing a casserole or crock pot meal…and maybe order pizza once a week! As far as frequency is concerned, a group may want to start with only meeting twice a week and then the moms could get their third run in that week over the weekend when other family members (or their husbands) are more able to help out. Want to know how to start a Mom Swap? Post a sign at your place of employment if this is allowed, or gather a group through your favorite social networking site, or simply call up some friends and set a date to meet and get started!