Mommy and Me Yoga - Benefits for Life

What can children and parents gain from practicing Yoga together? When should I start teaching Yoga to my son or daughter? What about Mommy and Me classes? Lets cover a bit of ground, and establish some realistic expectation for parents and children.

What can children and parents gain from practicing Yoga together? The sky is the limit, as they say. Children and parents need more bonding time. We need to eat together and find activities that solidify our relationships. Mommy and Me Yoga classes offer a chance for families to bond, while children are impressionable.

Like any activity, Yoga can be practiced at an early age. As long as Yoga practice is supervised, and the teacher is knowledgeable, parent and child will benefit in many ways. Parents who have no knowledge of Yoga should consider toddler classes or the Mommy and Me Yoga classes.

Classes should be divided according to age. For example Children who are one to two years of age could be separated from the two to four years of age group. Below twelve months of age, most children are in the watching stage.

Some babies will copy what they see, and you should never expect too much from any child. Children will learn Yoga much better in a patient environment. There should not be a deadline for the time it takes a child to learn aspects of Yoga. Children have a lifetime to learn the many benefits of Yoga. Surprisingly, most children of all ages will demonstrate Yoga techniques they learn at home.

When should I start teaching Yoga to my son or daughter Yoga? Any time is fine, as long as you make it fun. For parents, this is the beginning of learning how to guide without discouraging. Yoga will teach children life skills, such as stress reduction, anger management, goal setting, and enhance athletic ability.

What about Mommy and Me classes? If you have a Mommy and Me Yoga class in your area, it is worth signing up. Parents should let the Yoga instructor lead the class. This seems obvious, but you would be surprised how often parents can be counter productive to childrens activities.

Mommy and Me Yoga classes will contain many of the following aspects: Yoga music, kids music, singing, basic Pranayama, coloring books, theme Yoga classes, Asanas, mixing dance movement with Yoga, drawing with crayons, story telling, Yoga games, focusing drills, relaxation techniques, meditation, and lots of fun.

There are many Yoga books, DVDs, card decks, coloring books, and Yoga music CDs for children. With so much to choose from, a childs attention can be harnessed for constructive purposes. The greatest benefit of all for children is the ability to control their own attention span.

Copyright 2006 Paul Jerard / Aura Publications

Paul Jerard is a co-owner and the director of Yoga teacher training at: Aura Wellness Center, in North Providence, RI. He has been a certified Master Yoga teacher since 1995. He is a master instructor of martial arts, with multiple Black Belts, four martial arts teaching credentials, and was recently inducted into the USA Martial Arts Hall of Fame. He teaches Yoga, martial arts, and fitness to children, adults, and seniors in the greater Providence area. Recently he wrote: Is Running a Yoga Business Right for You? For Yoga students, who may be considering a new career as a Yoga teacher. http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Jerard

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What is Yoga?

Yoga comes from a Hindu philosophy used to attain spiritual insight and harmony, but generally refers in common use to a system of exercises that is practiced as part of this discipline. The word itself is derived from the Sanskrit "yeung", meaning to join. A yoke as used on oxen is closely related, but also the same root gives us "join", "junction", "junta", "adjust", "joust", and "juxapose" to name a few. The Mueller Center offers classes for both beginners and those more advanced. ...
Meaning union with the divine, yoga is a philosophy and discipline applied to the development of mind, body, and spirit. There are many disciplines of yoga emphasizing different aspects or combination of mind body spirit. Through practices of holding a variety of body positions or asanas, and the centering of the mind and breath in a meditative way, the practitioner increases body awareness, posture, flexibility of body and mind and calmness of spirit.
An ancient system of practices originating in India. It is aimed at integrating mind, body and spirit to enhance health and well-being. There are many different forms of yoga. Hatha yoga — the most widely practised form of yoga in the Western world — uses specific postures and breathing exercises.