Kids can Learn to Appreciate the Disciplines of Yoga

Well, think back to your own childhood. Overwhelmed with homework, peer pressure from other children, competing in after-school sports and other obligations. While it may not compare to the pressures you have today, it can be a substantial burden for a child.

But the same solution that you have discovered to cope with your stress - yoga - may also work for children as well.

Yoga experts and some child psychologists claim that yoga can help kids cope with any number of stressful situations such as school problems, peer pressure, and self-consciousness, and also teach them self-control and improve their mobility and coordination.

In addition, yoga has also been proven to help children with hyperactivity and attention deficit disorders, two conditions that create a constant desire for movement and outside stimulus in children. Learning the discipline of yoga can help children cope with the conditions and teach them how to control their body and emotions.

However, initially getting children to join in a yoga session is a challenging first step. Even for children not suffering from conditions like ADD, their general restlessness may make getting them to sit and meditate a difficult chore. And a parent's enthusiasm for yoga won't always translate to enthusiasm in a child.

A number of yoga experts think that the best way to get children interested in yoga is to let them see you participating and enjoying it, rather than forcing it on them. When children see yoga as part of their parents' daily routine - as well as witness the mind, body and spiritual benefits of the practice - they may be more apt to take part, or at least display a curiosity.

Some yoga experts recommend performing yoga in the home to demonstrate to children how it is conducted and some of the movements associated. The experts say that the natural curiosity of children may lead them to want to try some of the moves themselves. Headstands and certain balancing poses, many of which mimic the games the play outside, will spark their interest in trying the poses.

Once children display an interest in the moves and positions, yoga instructors say, you can begin to introduce them to the meditation aspects of the practice. Yoga experts say parents should begin by teaching their children breathing exercises which can help them to become calm. Next, try poses such as the Warrior pose and the Tree pose, two movements that can teach them confidence, calmness and balance. The idea, the experts say, is getting children to go beyond the mere movements and to get them to think about what the poses represent. Does the Warrior pose make them feel like a confident warrior? Find out if the Tree pose makes them feel more poised and proud. Getting them to identify physically with the poses can also help them to identify mentally with the poses as well.

By combining the two feelings, experts say, children will learn how to connect their mind and body, which can bring an improvement in many aspects of their life, from school to outdoor activities. Children who make this connection learn to develop confidence in their movements and their thinking process.

Other aspects of yoga and meditation can be introduced at this stage, such as chanting for peace and harmony (tapping into a child's natural instinct to sing and chant, the experts state) and developing an appreciation and respect for the world around them. By getting your child to become aware of the world around them, the sights and the smells and the sounds, learning becomes a more enjoyable experience and helps them develop a confidence from within.

Linda Adams adores all things that have to do with health.

One of the most excellent health websites Linda has found is Yoga Fitness Kamloops, which is a special mix of yoga and health.

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