| There is plenty of competition to go around in this | | | | did their homework, and slept better. |
| world. If you are a Yoga teacher, you should not | | | | Eventually, we established a pure Kids Yoga class, |
| encourage competition within a Kids Yoga class. | | | | and it was scheduled between two children's |
| This is not easily done. Each child wants praise, but | | | | martial arts classes. The children were enthusiastic |
| this can be accomplished by making your Yoga | | | | and the parents were, and still are, very |
| class a nurturing event, where every child who | | | | supportive. In the above-mentioned examples, |
| participates, can feel a sense of self-worth. | | | | different children gained different benefits from |
| This atmosphere, which is designed by the Yoga | | | | learning Yoga. |
| instructor, will develop a child's character "from | | | | As children continue to learn Yoga, they should |
| the ground up." Each child is unique and special in | | | | also be taught to refrain from comparing |
| his or her own way. Children have to be taught to | | | | themselves to other children in the Yoga class. |
| appreciate themselves as they are. Self-worth | | | | This is not easy for a Yoga teacher to do, but |
| cannot be calculated by the skill of one single | | | | can be accomplished by teaching children to |
| activity, and Yoga is the sum of many different | | | | accept themselves as they are, and that trying |
| activities, within a given class. | | | | their best is really good enough. |
| When I first started teaching Yoga to children, I | | | | Regular attendance to Kids Yoga classes is the |
| began to integrate Vinyasa Yoga into the | | | | key to getting rid of emotional baggage. Children |
| warm-ups of our children's martial arts classes; | | | | must be taught to appreciate themselves in a |
| some parents wondered why? Soon, some of | | | | positive way, and the study of Yoga can give any |
| the children, who had Attention Deficit Disorder, | | | | child self-empowerment. When children gather and |
| and other attention span problems, became more | | | | participate in Yoga instruction on a steady basis, |
| focused for the rest of the class. Still, other | | | | they also make new friends. The parents who |
| children, who regularly practiced Vinyasa Yoga | | | | send their children to study Yoga sincerely care. |
| warm-ups, started to develop a more pronounced | | | | Therefore, any child who learns Yoga is |
| muscular appearance. This may have been due to | | | | surrounded by children of "like-minded" parents. |
| many factors, such as the cross training involved | | | | Yoga training for children is, in essence, a |
| in practicing Vinyasa Yoga and martial arts, on a | | | | controlled atmosphere - even though the Yoga |
| regular basis - while many other children, who | | | | class setting is relaxed. |
| attended these integrated classes, went home, | | | | |