3 Ways to Share Your Yoga Practice
With Your Children Today
Simple Tips to Share Peace and Presence with Your Children - By Danielle Hoult
Reading time: 4 minutes
Have you ever wished you could share some of the peace you create on your mat* with the little ones in your life? Do you ever wonder how you can translate your practice into your parenting? I’m offering three simple tips that you can start using today to share your mindset with your kids.
Mantras
Mantras are so much more than just words. They can be an anchor for your thoughts and offer peace, power, presence, or whatever you choose. If you’re used to using mantras on your mat, why not try using them in your home? Your child may not resonate with the mantras you use during yoga, so try something a little more kid-friendly. You can often find great examples of mantras for kids in popular television shows or songs.
Next time your little one is enjoying their favourite show, pay attention to the catchphrases of the characters when they are overcoming challenges or working together. You can use these phrases at a time when your child is struggling to give them something to connect and relate to. If I’m honest, most of our mantras are from a popular TV show, but the positive impact they have with my child cannot be denied.
If he makes a mistake now I can often hear him saying “practice makes better”, or “take a deep breath, and count to four”. If there are positive phrases that already exist in your child’s favourite show or song, consider incorporating that phrase into to your day. Model by example, and see if it takes off.
Breath work
Okay, so you are comfortable with breath work during yoga class. Maybe you even use it during your day to regulate. Now, you can share breath work with the little ones in your life, too. Breath work can help us to focus, settle, and regulate. A fun way to practice this with kids is to make it a game. Hold up one finger and ask them to blow out the birthday candle.
It gets them focusing on their breathing, slowing it down and lengthening their exhales. The first deep breath with often flicker the candle (wiggle your finger) with the second or third “blowing it out” (finger goes down). Sometimes it works and they are laughing or calmed down by the end, and sometimes it doesn’t, but it’s a tool we are building for their toolbox.
Presence
Every parent can relate to the age old saying “the days are long but the years are short”. All it takes is a scroll through old photos for these feelings to take over. Where does the time really go? Weren’t they just born? It’s helpful to spend time taking in the moment so we don’t feel like time is passing us by.
We often hear teachers calling us back to the present moment during a yoga class by feeling your body, noticing your breath, and focusing your mind. This can be such a powerful tool in daily childcare life, too. This doesn’t mean you need to sit and meditate together (or that most kids would).
Mindfulness can be as simple as taking a few minutes to put down your distractions down and fully be present in what they are doing. Notice the sound of their voices, the smell of their hair, the way they move and play, the toys they love right now, the mess that is the product of creativity, learning and joy. We lead most effectively by example. Share with them your positive observations and verbalize what you are doing by enjoying the moment and noticing the small things.
Invite your kids to practice mindfulness while walking outside by tuning into the senses with things they can hear, see, smell, taste, and feel, or asking to “look for five green things”. Even simpler, a game of “I spy” is really a practice in mindfulness that you might already be doing! This can be an easy fix to turn an outing around by getting kids out of the “what’s next” or “are we there yet” mindset and into the moment of right now.
These are small but meaningful ways to incorporate a sliver of the peace you find on your yoga mat with the little ones in your life. Parenting or caregiving is a journey that is unique to each family, so do what feels right for yours. Keep an open mind and an open heart. After all, children are the true masters of play, mindfulness, and slowing down, and you may just be surprised what you learn in return.
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