With the busyness of life, and shuttling our children from one activity to the next, be it the football, or the swimming and music lessons or of course the ever-present extra-lessons, you want me to consider kids Yoga now? C’mon, really? Yes, really I do!
The popularity of Yoga in recent years has grown exponentially. We have all heard about the benefits and how great Yoga is for your body, and you can’t help but notice the women who practice Yoga seriously. They have some wicked bodies! The long, lean, taut muscles and their amazingly strong cores are just to die for. Don’t know if it is just me, but it always seems that these Yoga women exude a kind of “something”…confidence? strength? Both? Can’t put my finger on it, but a certain something.
I am by no means a devout Yogi. I have done Yoga in the past but have not been able to maintain my practice consistently. Life just kinda gets in the way and knocks me off track. I have to tell you though, I love how I feel after a class. Strong, flexible, energized, drained, relaxed…and with evening classes, I sleep really well that night new balance deals. These are just what I am aware of, there are so many more benefits we are not aware of. Case in point, I had a dentist’s appointment right after a Yoga class, and boy, let’s just say the dentist wanted to encourage all her patients to do a Yoga class before coming in for dental work :). She said I was calm and relaxed (knocked out really), which you could expect, but she also used much less anaesthesia than usually required!! So there is something to this Yoga stuff.
So knowing all these great benefits exist for adults, surely children would benefit too. Sharon Feanny, of Shakti Mind Body Fitness, shared this article with me, that speaks to how children benefit in all aspects of life from doing Yoga: Yoga for Kids by Marsha Wenig. Here are some key points:
- Yoga can help counter the stresses of children’s busy lives. After school activities, competitive sports, video games etc.
- Relaxation techniques help with life’s challenges
- Improved Self-esteem and body awareness
- Sense of calmness and relaxation improves
- Connecting more deeply with their inner self and nature (a somewhat abstract concept to grasp at first)
“When they stretch like a dog, balance like a flamingo, breathe like a bunny, or stand strong and tall like a tree, they are making a connection between the macrocosm of their environment and the microcosm of their bodies. The importance of reverence for all life and the principle of interdependence becomes apparent authentic jordans for sale cheap. Children begin to understand that we are all made of the same “stuff.” We’re just in different forms.”
Do your children Yoga? What are your thoughts on the topic? Any suggestions for parents thinking about Yoga for kids? I would love to hear your thoughts and comments. Let’s continue the conversation, just enter your thoughts in the comments section below.
Namaste
