Fall is the season of getting back into routine for many, especially parents of school-aged children. No matter the age of your young ones, prioritizing healthy behaviors and activities in that routine is important, especially as schedules get busier.
We talked to a few parents who’ve got their routines down and are regularly making the most of their Life Time memberships to keep their kids — and themselves! — active and engaged with others. Here is how they spend their time at Life Time as a family.
Arica D. C.
Arica and her husband have two children, a 9-year-old daughter and a 6-year-old son. They are members at Life Time in Frisco, Texas.
How do you and your family spend time at Life Time?
The kids and I are regulars at the Martial Arts classes offered through the Kids Academy — they are amazing. This offering alone is worth the membership to our family.
We also enjoy going to the pool during school breaks when we aren’t traveling. It gives us a reason to leave the house. The kids enjoy being “treated” to lunch at the LifeCafe — it makes them feel grown up when we eat there.
My husband and I also enjoy dropping the kids off at Parents Night Out events. During that time, we often enjoy the whirlpool and play pickleball. Last year, our daughter was on the swim team, and it was so fun meeting families from different Life Time clubs in the area through that.
How does Life Time fit into your family’s weekly routine?
Transparently, I was a little skeptical about joining Life Time at first. I wasn’t sure the benefits would outweigh the membership cost. But after learning about all the offerings we’d have access to and be taking advantage of, it was a no-brainer.
Our kids have participated in gymnastics, swim lessons, martial arts, and so much more, all in the same place. I’m very glad our family is a part of Life Time — I even convinced my parents to join!
My husband is a faithful 5 a.m. GTX class attendee four days a week. I enjoy the Kettlebell Kombine class and recover with the Normatec sleeves and time on the Hydromassage bed every chance I get. Our son goes to Fitness & Agility classes, and loves being a part of any sport that is happening in the Kids Academy during gym games like dodgeball or basketball.
Our kids love going to School-Break Camps on the days they don’t have school and when my husband and I still have to work. I love how they’ve made friends at Life Time. It makes it so easy on us when we want to work out at the club and drop them off for some fun time in the Kids Academy.
Why is living a healthy way of life important to your family?
Living a healthy life is important as we had kids later in life, and my husband tells me his motivation for going to 5 a.m. GTX is because he wants to ensure he can walk our daughter down the aisle one day. He also enjoys the class, but I appreciate how being active is important in his life goals.
We want to be good role models for our kids, and the physical activities we choose to do as a family have a lasting impact. Together, we are an active family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way!
April F.
April and her husband have three children, a 9-year-old daughter, a 6-year-old daughter, and a 1-year-old son. They are members at Life Time in Vernon Hills, Ill.
How do you and your family spend time at Life Time?
Typically, we check the kids into the Kids Academy and then my husband and I will work out at the same time, either together or separately. We like taking classes, or if we do separate workouts, then we’ll most likely end our time walking next to each other on the treadmills or sitting together in the LifeCafe or by the pool. It’s literally a date we get every week.
And we absolutely adore the Kids Academy leader, Iwona Wawer. She’s a pillar in our lives and we cannot imagine raising our kids without her!
How does Life Time fit into your family’s weekly routine?
I go to Life Time six to seven times a week, and my husband goes around three times a week. But my kids go all the time. During the summer, my girls go to Life Time every day, and as we head into the fall, they’ll go to Life Time two to three nights a week. My youngest comes with me every single day.
My girls love going to Life Time Summer Camps and Parents Night Out events, and as we head into the fall, we’ll still utilize the Parents Night Out events as much as possible. Even though our youngest isn’t old enough to attend yet, it’s such a great outlet for the girls to have fun, eat pizza, and stay active.
The environment feels safe for dropping them off at. The team members are like family to us, especially because we don’t live near family here in Illinois. Life Time is our community and is our family away from home.
Why is living a healthy way of life important to your family?
My husband and I have been a part of Life Time since we got married in 2007, and all three of our children became members the day they turned 3 months old.
My kids are used to going to Life Time and when we step in the door, they’re off and running to their favorite activities. They love it. And my husband and I love to move and exercise. I often shower there too and take advantage of the locker rooms. I try and use every bit of my membership!
Derek B.
Derek and his wife have two children, a 5-year-old son and a 4-year-old daughter. They are members at Life Time in Beaverton, Ore.
How do you and your family spend time at Life Time?
We spend a lot of our family time at the outdoor pool: Our kids love the water slides and diving for toys. Our kids also love spending time at the Kids Academy doing tumbling and arts and crafts, learning Spanish, and participating in Fitness & Agility classes— they get really excited for all the programming at Life Time. And the way our club is designed, our son can see us playing pickleball while he is in the gym running drills during his Fitness & Agility class.
My wife is a big fan of the cold plunge and sauna combo after a barre or yoga class. I’m an avid Alpha attendee and love using the Olympic-lifting platforms. Both my wife and I spend five to eight hours a week on the pickleball courts and the kids are enrolled in swimming classes as well.
How does Life Time fit into your family’s weekly routine?
Heading into the fall, we use the evening programming for the kids while Lora and I play Open Play pickleball. We usually follow that up with a quick stop in the family locker room for showers before heading home for dinner and bed.
Why is living a healthy way of life important to your family?
You can never invest too much in your health. We love the benefits we get from Life Time for our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. The community of people is so great and every time we are at the pool, we get to spend time with families and friends from school or our Life Time community. My wife and I quite frequently tell others about Life Time and how it’s changed our lives. We’d love to be members for life!
Hannah M.
Hannah and her husband have two children, a 2-year-old son and a 5-month-old daughter. They are members at Life Time in Chanhassen, Minn., and Life Time Crosstown in Eden Prairie, Minn.
How do you and your family spend time at Life Time?
Our family loves the variety of activities that we are able to do at Life Time — each day really could look different if we wanted it to. Our favorite things are playing tennis during the winter, swimming in the outdoor pool during the summer, and year-round, attending workout classes, enjoying the LifeSpa, and eating in the LifeCafe.
We are thankful for our membership and what it allows us to do as a family on the warm, sunny days of summer and the cold, snowy days of winter. There’s truly something for everyone in whatever stage of life we’re in, or whatever mood we’re in that day.
How does Life Time fit into your family’s weekly routine?
One huge perk of our membership has been receiving child care through the Kids Academy, which our kids truly enjoy going to. The team members have consistently been amazing; they’re fun, engaging, and well-trained.
While my kids are in the Kids Academy, I enjoy having the ability to get some work done in the LifeCafe, go to a workout class, utilize the LifeSpa, or slowly sip on a cup of coffee with a good book in hand.
Why is living a healthy way of life important to your family?
It’s important for us to find time to move our bodies, spend time as a family, eat healthy lunches, and take time to rest. Life Time truly offers us the ability to do all that and more!
Caroline S.
Caroline and her husband have three children, a 4-year-old son, a 2-year-old daughter, and a 6-month-old son. They are members at Life Time in Frisco, Texas.
How do you and your family spend time at Life Time?
My kids and I go to Life Time six days a week (excluding Sundays). I take Gluteus Maxout on Mondays and Fridays, SOL heated yoga on Wednesdays, and I swim laps on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
My husband goes to Life Time four to five days a week depending on his work schedule, and he prefers to lift weights or do cardio. On the days he works remotely, he enjoys working in the LifeCafe. We always laugh that he’s showered more at the club than he ever has at our house.
My oldest son started going to Life Time when he was 1 year old, and our other two started going as soon as they turned 3 months old. This is truly their second home.
My 4-year-old takes classes and loves gymnastics and arts and crafts. My daughter has a new lease on life playing with the big kids in the kid’s gym. And my youngest just naps and looks cute with the other Life Time babies!
How does Life Time fit into your family’s weekly routine?
The time of year never impacts our schedule at Life Time. We go rain or shine, cold or hot. We are there every day by 9 a.m. which works during the school year too. I’ll drop my oldest son off for his scheduled day, then head straight to the club with the younger two.
I have received many facials from the LifeSpa while my kids are playing at the Kids Academy. When I was going through my last two pregnancies, there were many times I would drop off my kid(s) while I sat with my feet in the hot tub or just relaxed at the LifeSpa.
During the three-month period after my babies were born, I would continue to bring the other kids to play here every day, so they didn’t fall out of their routine. They loved playing with their best friends at Life Time while I would take care of my newborn in the LifeCafe.
Why is living a healthy way of life important to your family?
I can’t even imagine not living like this. I think being active has always been second nature for us. The time spent here every day helps me reset mentally, physically, and emotionally. I really feel like I’m a better mom and wife because of the time I spend taking care of myself at Life Time. In turn, my kids are growing up thinking this is just a way of life — like anything else we consistently do.
I’ve made some incredible friends at Life Time and the greatest blessing is our kids adore each other and their friends here, even though their friends range from ages 6 months to 10 years old. We hang in and out of the club with the other families now. It’s such a wonderful community.
