Children are naturally yogis and many parents, children and families make regular requests that I add a yoga class for children. It is a great idea and I have found a new enthusiasm for teaching children of all ages this incredibly powerful practice for health and well-being. Unfortunately, ours is a culture of over-programming and most elementary school age children are exhausted by the evening and no matter what afternoon or evening I choose to schedule this class there is usually some conflict—-oh, that’s violin lesson night, swim lesson night, her older brother has soccer/karate/ceramics, that’s french language tutoring night and we swing by Grandma’s, etc. Not only are there so many other programs for children, but parents too are caught—-caught at work, caught shuttling around older siblings to their programmed events, caught trying to get the clothes into the dryer before they get moldy, etc. I am no stranger to this “over-program” disease because I am a mother and I find myself caught in this cycle myself. The truth is that all these sports, languages, religion, family obligations, arts, clubs and groups—these are important! But, what is also important is to recognize that taking a yoga class can’t just be one more thing that you add onto your child’s schedule. This will take a toll and really isn’t in alignment with the ethical practice of yoga. By 4:00pm, my elementary school aged child is both exhausted and hungry and pretty sick and tired of organized activity.
All this being said, perhaps the greatest gift that we can give our children is the gift of yoga! This is a two-part gift……we need to make time to practice ourselves so that our children see us taking time for self-care and making our own health and well-being a priority. Maybe the first step in bringing yoga into your family is for you to start taking a class regularly and making a dedicated space for the practice of yoga in your home. Just having a couple of mats rolled up in a corner near a space that could be quickly cleared for this purpose is a great start. You might be amazed at how your children gravitate towards those rolled-up mats and roll them out playfully and roll around on them or sit on them or wrap themselves up in them. This is a beautiful start to a playful and age-appropriate practice. Second, I would ask that you think if there is any way at all that you could make a weekly yoga class for your child for a 6-week period make sense. When I say, “make sense,” the following concepts must be a reality:
1. There is some “un-programmed” time between when your child leaves daycare or school and when the class starts. Make sure that there is enough time for your child to share any experiences from the day with you that may have upset them or made them happy or angry.
2. There is time enough for a hearty snack before yoga with approximately 20-minutes between the snack and when class starts. Yoga for kids is different from yoga for adults in that the practice of asana (physical yoga postures) is rather flexible. Although it might make you feel really sick if you ate 20-minutes before class, a child can have some cheese and crackers and water just before class and that protein will really help them have more energy and enjoy the class more.
3. It is possible for you to bring the child to the class without considerable stress for yourself. If you can only get your child to class if all the stars align and the traffic is “just right” and your other child’s activity ends “right on time” and no one needs to have their shoes tied, etc. then this just isn’t the right time to add yoga to your child’s schedule. If, when you finally get your child home from yoga you start to feel anxiety because dinner hasn’t been prepared or your dog pees on the rug every week because she just can’t wait that long for you to get home, etc. Well, this matters!
4. Your child wants to try a yoga class. Sure, YOU know it is a great idea, but if your child is resistant, it could be because they don’t really know what yoga is, they are pushing back because they don’t want to HAVE to do one more thing or perhaps it means some sacrifice that you don’t appreciate. For example, if Wednesday is the only afternoon they have free and the only day that they get to come straight home from school and play with LEGOS, then…….this is a sacrifice that may not seem like a big sacrifice to you, but it may not feel worth it for your child.
Yoga classes may be right for your child right now, but maybe not. Choosing a way that makes sense for you to make yoga a part of your family life is also a kind of yoga practice.
