While Amber Murray is exercising upstairs at the Greater Johnstown Community YMCA, her kids are downstairs playing.
8-year old Gianni and 6-year-old Kamiryn are in the “Child Watch” program, so that they can hold toys while their mom holds weights.
“The older I get, my body is feeling the burn a little bit. Mama needs to get in shape and stay in shape,”
Child Watch is a service for YMCA members to drop off their children with trained staff while they enjoy their workout.
“I don’t really have to worry about them, because when I’m in this room, they’re right downstairs. It’s cool that we get to come to the same place,”
Studies show that about 78% of moms say they put off taking care of their own health to care for family members.
About 93 percent of mothers feel “burnt out” and that don’t have enough time for themselves.
Murray says going to the YMCA is her time to take care of herself, while knowing that her children are being cared for at the same time.
“It’s good to be able to just have me time. I never really get to have me time, but this is my me time. It’s something positive,”
“I don’t really have many babysitters, and it’s just hard to be able to do things that I want to do. This is just my time to not have my kids hanging on each leg every day,”
Greater Johnstown Community YMCA CEO Shawn Sebring says their programs make health a priority for the whole family.
“Child Watch is really important for families that are just trying to make the best use of their time,”
“Our hope is that families can come down here together. It’s so hard for families to spend time together,”
But it’s not just good for Murray, it’s also fun for the kids.
“My kids beg me, like ‘Mom, are we going to the gym again? Can we go to the gym?’ I’m like, ‘You guys want to work out?’ They say, ‘No, we want to go to Child Watch.’ They love coming here. They love it,”
To improve the quality of life of parents in our area and teach them that “you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
“It’s nice to be able to have time for myself. I’m not just a mom,”
To improve the quality of life of parents in our area and teach them that “you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
“It’s nice to be able to have time for myself. I’m not just a mom,”