Julia Sims: Mama's got game

Watch out tennis world, here I come! Kidding ... sort of.

Every Tuesday and Thursday night you’ll find me practicing volleys and lobs and working on my serve. About a month ago, a friend and I decided to take group tennis lessons. One of the best decisions I’ve made recently!

Like most working parents, I’ve always tried to squeeze in exercise early in the morning before work or on the weekends. (Some weeks, exercise became a casualty to life’s daily grind.) Also, I’ve always hesitated taking time for myself when I could be spending that time with my husband and Will.

But, my friend Ginny and I both thought tennis lessons would be a fun way to get exercise, to hang out together and to meet new people. What we’ve both found is that it’s been good for our well-being. Even if I’ve had a long day and am dragging my feet, once we hit the tennis court, my energy level soars! Ginny laughed one night and said “Who knew there was such a thing as a tennis high?!”

Well, a recent study found that playing tennis may actually extend your life by 10 years. What mom wouldn’t want that?

At any rate, I think Ginny and I may be onto something: no more mom-guilt. It’s good to give yourself permission to take time away from the kids and spend that time doing something for yourself. And, who knows, maybe our weekly lessons are actually buying us more time with our kids years down the road?

With that in mind, we just signed up for another session of lessons ... and while we may not be the next Serena Williams, at least we can both say, “Mama’s got game!”

Julia Sims is the mom of one and a former reporter for WRAL-TV. She regularly appears here on Go Ask Mom.