Fun with Family Yoga!

We run like crazy around every day; we get the kids to school, we commute, we put in a full day’s work. When we come home, we have bills to pay, a house to clean, dinner to make. And our kids are pretty busy too – they have school, extracurricular activities, tutoring. The various lives that make up our family are busy and full, and we should be proud of all that we accomplish. But during that busy day, which extends to an exhausting week, we tend to overlook the most important aspect of our existence: the family itself.

Luckily, every day we are also presented with opportunities to strengthen our families. We can take advantage of every free evening with your children, and every weekend is a chance to discover quality, bonding time. Next weekend, wouldn't it be fun to talk and share, sing and hug, and do a healthy and fun activity together . . . in a family yoga class?!

WHY FAMILY YOGA

The stresses that adults and children face are growing and the divisive force of those stresses is damaging our relationships and weakening the bond that we share with each other. Rainbow Kids Yoga, which trains Kids Yoga teachers, believes that family yoga is one of the best ways for parents and children to share quality time together. And there is no better time to start a family yoga practice than over the holiday season, when we have a relief from our normal routine and can create new, positive habits and patterns. We will find that starting a yoga practice has an immediate, positive effect on our family life.

AIDING COMMUNICATION

There are countless benefits to family yoga. Yoga fosters communication between parents and children, as well as between partners. Children often find it difficult to talk to their parents, even when they need them the most. Busy parents can find that they become disconnected from one another as well. In family yoga classes, as we practice together and assist each other in poses, we encourage discussion and dialogue. And that conversation will build and strengthen lines of communication, which will last well into our child’s teenage and adult years.

And there are so many ways that we communicate with each other. We communicate through our facial expressions, by watching each other’s breath, by observing the tension levels in our bodies, just to name a few. As we learn to move and to breathe together, we become compassionate and sensitive towards each other. The more we work together in class, the more we can relate to each other in a loving way outside the classroom, and to the people we meet in our daily lives.

BUILDING COMMUNITIES

Not only is family yoga a great way to bond and to learn how to communicate with each other, but it also helps us connect with other families in our community. In a time when we often don’t even know our neighbors, family yoga can be a great way to reach out to other families in our town or city.

Mothers especially find themselves feeling isolated when they are at home with their children. When a mom has moved to a new place, has started a new job or has given up a job, she can easily feel disconnected. Family yoga classes provide wonderful opportunities to meet other moms and other families . It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and family yoga can be a wonderful place to start creating and expending this community.

POSITIVE TOUCH

There are countless studies that illustrate the benefits of positive physical contact on children. Yet in our modern western society, hugging and touching are usually discouraged in classes and other learning environments. But touch is beneficial; it is necessary for the healthy development of a child (and adults need to be hugged too!) and for creating a healthy family.

Throughout family yoga classes are partner poses, group poses, acrobatic exercises, as well as countless games and activities that involve loving touch and group creativity. This love and affection can help children learn appropriate physical boundaries while boosting self-esteem and positive body image. Children can then grow into confident and loving adults who are capable of building strong relationships.

EVEN SMARTER KIDS

Of course our children are already geniuses :) but yoga can help them improve their focus and concentration. In fact, a 2003 study by the University of California found that children in a Los Angeles school who had frequent yoga instruction saw significant increases in self esteem , as well as overall fitness , academic performance, and even a decrease in disciplinary problems – since students felt more relaxed and were more respectful of their peers.

Building a stronger and healthier family provides similar benefits, and family yoga classes are the place to bring it all together.

REAWAKENING THE INNER CHILD

One of the most important benefits of family yoga is that it teaches adults how to play, something most of us have forgotten how to do. We often get too involved with our disciplinarian roles, teaching our kids right and wrong, what to do and what not to do. Family yoga can reawaken our childlike essence and remind us how we once played, so that we know how to play with our kids in and out of class.

Of course kids need to learn how to be responsible, but they don’t need to lose their playfulness and curiosity. And don’t we, adults, need to learn how to be more light-hearted and childlike to be able to enjoy our families and our life?

Family yoga, therefore, has an overall positive affect on our family life, days – even years – after the yoga class has ended.

WHERE TO START

How about a trip to outer space? Click here to download a full Family Yoga Class complete with color photos and explanations!

For information on where to find family yoga classes and teachers in your area, check out the Find A Teacher pages on the Rainbow Kids Yoga website.