I used to do these Body Tests fully clothed, subtracting anywhere from two to four pounds from my weight based on what I was wearing. It finally occurred to me that, if I was truly looking for an accurate measure of my weight and my Overall Fitness, perhaps guesstimating how heavy my jeans were wasn't the best idea. (Yes, I've been known to do Wii Fit wearing jeans. And corduroys. And perhaps my slippers. What of it?)
So then I decided that the only way to truly get an accurate measure would be to do the test at the same time every day. Naked.
Okay, naked is a bit of a stretch. I always wear my underwear and occasionally a bra, too. (If I've already put on my clothes for the day. If I'm still in my pajamas when I do the Body Test, then I'm a briefs-only kind of girl.)
It takes a few minutes for the system to fully boot, and then the actual Body Test itself takes 10 seconds or so you stand still while the Balance Board does its thing. During these minutes, I gradually disrobe until I'm standing there in my undies (and maybe bra), and then I whip my clothes back on because I tend to feel like a Crazy Person standing in my living room in only my skivvies at 8-something in the morning.
The system had booted and the Body Test was about to begin when the doorbell rang. I literally jumped off the Balance Board (which caused the system to have to reboot, adding another 10 seconds to the Body Test) in surprise: Who the hell would be ringing the doorbell at 8:58 a.m. on a Tuesday?
My first thought was that it was the water meter person or someone selling something, so I did what any sensible person would: I removed my pants and continued to wait for the Body Test to re-calibrate, because I could read the water meter myself, thanks, and surely I didn't want whatever was being sold, anyway.
When the doorbell rang again, I realized that this was either one really persistent salesperson... or perhaps it wasn't someone selling something after all. Somewhere, in the depths of my brain, a little spark occurred that told me, WAIT! I KNOW THIS ONE!
And then I remembered that I'd agreed to allow research students from the University of Rochester Child Development Department to come to the house -- at 9 a.m. -- to do a follow up interview with E. An interview where people would come into my home and talk with my daughter and try to determine how well-developed she is.
Until that moment, I'd completely forgotten that I'd agreed to allow them to come.
Awesome.
Knowing that the interviewers were standing outside the door, I then did what would make any ADHD-er proud: I took off my shirt as well. Because, hey, it had already taken many minutes for the damn Wii Fit to get itself to this point, anyway, and if I didn't do the Body Test now, it would mess up my whole system. And I just knew that it would only take another 30 seconds or so, and I could surely have the Wii Fit measurement taken and put my clothes back on and go upstairs to retrieve the E from the tangle of heels and gloves and hairbands and get the house presentable and make it look like I'd been prepared all along... all in just a minute or so. Surely, the interviewers wouldn't mind - heck, they might not even notice I was late. The fact that Joey was barking so loudly and continuously that it sounded like we were being invaded would only make the interviewers feel welcome, right?
So. I let the Wii take its measurement. Then I put my pajamas back on, turned the tv off and put the Balance Board away, cleared off the coffee table in one large arm-sweep, flew upstairs and informed E that, Hey! People are here to talk to you! Let's go NOW!, raced back downstairs with A in my other arm, locked Joey inside the bathroom, and then opened the front door to greet the interviewers with an apologetic smile. "So sorry," I fibbed ever-so-slightly, "There was small incident, and I didn't quite get to the door until now! Come in, come in!"
Once E and the interviewers were settled, I took some time to put on some real clothes, and then tried to breeze through the next 20 minutes as though it had been the plan to allow Joey to bark at them for 4 minutes while I stood nearly naked a few feet away and got my Wii Fit on. I figure, as a Mom with ADHD, it's good to teach my girls the value of being able to a) follow through with something (I was doing that damn Body Test come hell or high water) and b) the ability to look at even surprise situations as something good rather than something problematic.
The students are coming for a follow-up interview next Tuesday. I'm still trying to decide what ADHD values to instill in the girls this time.
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