Words to Live By

Over at the Happiness Project website Gretchen Rubin talks about living with a creed (hers is “Be Gretchen”). I have on my bulletin board a list of words to live by that I tore from the back of a  Yoga Journal magazine from September 2008. The authors of these quotes were not credited so I am not able to give credit but they are wonderful thoughts. Here are some that I gravitate to:

Do one thing a day that scares you.

While in yoga class, I try to teach that we must listen to our bodies while sometimes ignoring our minds. If we are getting ready to do crow pose, our minds might be protesting and creating unneeded fear based commentary. Face the unknown and lift your feet off the ground and see what happens. In this month’s Oprah magazine, there is an article about people subconsciously sabotaging different aspects of their lives because of deep fears. The act of facing those fears head on, asking “What is the worst thing that can happen” and thinking through the various outcomes of the scenario that creates the fear dissolves the fear. What is something that scares you? Traveling alone? Meeting new people? Getting up in handstand pose?

That which matters the most should never give way to that which matters the least.

How often do you put daily chores or meaningless responsibilities before what gives you peace, health and happiness? I’m not saying that we can ignore our responsibilities for selfish pursuits. Prioritize. I know that my mental state makes a huge difference in my family life. If I am stressed, it trickles through the family until we all are unhappy. Making sure that I take the time to do yoga, run and be with like minded friends makes me a better mom and wife. Because of that knowledge, I try hard not to schedule things during the time I can be doing those activities that give me health and happiness. That may mean I have to drag the kids to the grocery store because I used my free time to take a bike ride with friends but that is what I do because it matters most.

I try to help children figure out what their strengths are so that they can take this creed home with them. Using games (like Thumball catch) that asks them questions about their interests and beliefs helps the children stop and think about what drives and motivates them. This can lead to decisions that will create a happy life based on who they are versus what people say they should do or be.

Life is full of setbacks. Success is determined by how you handle setbacks.

Another great thing about yoga is that it is constantly evolving with the individual. Yoga teaches patience, perseverance, determination, focus, to trust oneself, to know when to push, when to wait and when to try again. Each time you get back on the mat the slate is clean. What great skills everyone needs to help handle setbacks in life.

A few others that I won’t expand upon are:

What we do to the earth we do to ourselves.

Breath deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life.

The conscious brain can only hold one thought at a time. Choose a positive thought.

I love these and would love to know what creed you pick to live your life by. Please share!

Activities to Help Relationships (both at home and in class)

D Sharon Pruitt

I am awaiting a book at the library called 104 Activities That Build: Self-Esteem, Teamwork, Communication, Anger Management, Self-Discovery, Coping Skills by Alanna Jones. I read some sample activities on Amazon and the ideas seemed easy for both young and old and quick to start.  It would seem as though these activities would help improve sibling and family relationships and I can’t wait to try some over the summer with my little guinea pigs.

Here are two ideas from the book that I liked that would help my kids learn to work together and depend on each other versus compete with each other:

Project One: Garbage Art Materials: Items around the house (such as toilet paper rolls, plastic bottles, lids, cans), tape, hot glue, regular glue, paints, makers and crayons. The children collect things around the house to recycle into a sculpture. They must work together to come up with an idea for their sculpture and then share materials to build their masterpiece. Have the kids create a few sculptures and create a museum to display their work.

A yoga version of this project would be to have the kids create a human sculpture with yoga poses. Have the class try to move all at once as one piece of movable yoga art.

Project Two: Creative Coloring Materials: A variety of colored crayons or markers and paper
The children pick one or two colors. They must decide on a picture (or you can suggest a theme or use a coloring book) and only use their own color to complete the picture. This forces each person to contribute and for the group to work together.

Summer’s Here and So is Sibling Rivalry

D Sharon Pruitt

I began my day waking up early and meeting some friends for a run on the green trail which is one of my favorite places to run. The morning promised a beautiful day with the sun already shining and the heat building, wisps of fog dancing in the fields. I passed at least seven deer grazing while driving to the rendezvous point. One was the identical image of Bambi from the Disney film—it was tiny and had white spots unlike the other older deer wandering the fields. It is moments like that, which I would not have seen if my alarm didn’t wake me at 5:15 to venture out while my family sleeps, that make me feel grateful.

I had a great run with the  aches and pains d’jour not making a fuss and the conversation with friends flowing making the miles fly. I felt peaceful upon arriving home.

First day of summer vacation! The excitement for the fun to start created a frenetic energy that pulsed from my son. He was ready. The “for what” wasn’t planned yet. His sister wasn’t up yet and as the minutes ticked the frenetic energy began to turn into an unsettling grumpiness. When said sister did finally awaken, her surly brother was already waiting to bait and catch. My kids don’t wrestle or  fight physically. They are almost four years apart and that just doesn’t work. Instead they have developed other tactics that hurt—tattling, instigating, put downs. I’m sure these things are happening in every household but none-the-less they drive me bonkers and I just can’t have a summer of taunts, cries and whines. What can be done? Here are some ideas to help stave off the sibling rivalry. I will not hold them as fool proof, but give them a try. Let me know which work best for you and I’ll let you know how things progress here this summer.

If you have children that like to one up or put down their siblings, I found these ideas in the 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kid book.

One tactic to help cut down on put downs is to encourage the offender to say three compliments to the person that has been belittled before being able to continue with the activity that is taking place bringing awareness to the positive qualities of the sibling.

(I have a friend who makes her children pay 5 cents each time they tattle, whine or belittle their siblings. The money goes into a family activity savings jar. I like this idea but my children don’t get allowance yet so this won’t work for us.)

Another interesting activity for a family to do that demonstrates that a person’s love is limitless which may help with jealous siblings is to first give each family member a candle (the braided kind work best). Then mom or dad lights their candle and explains that the flame represents love. Each time you light a different member of the family’s candle discuss the love you felt for them coming into your life. After everyone’s candle is lit, ask these questions:

• Did my light get smaller as I passed my light to each of you?
• By giving love (light) to each child, was love taken away from the original child or spouse?
• Is there more light with everyone’s candle lit than with just mine lit?
• Do we have enough light as a family to share it with others who might need it — who may be sad or lonely?
• What happens when all the candles are held together?
• Does the light shine more brightly as a family or as individuals?

A great book that helps with all kinds of negative behavior is “1-2-3 Magic” by Thomas Phelan. The idea behind this book is that when your child is demonstrating negative behaviors such as whining, back talk, negotiating, sibling fighting you count them for each time the infraction occurs until three. At three there is a consequence. The consequence should be as closely related to the event as possible but taking away privileges works as well. In my house an earlier bedtime hour or reduced tv time are often used as consequences. If used consistently by both parents, this discipline technique really helps.

A final suggestion to temper heated summer moments between children would be to try some partner yoga. Did you actually think that yoga ideas would not be in this post! Partner yoga is a wonderful way to help your children connect and work together. It is fun and often ends in laughter. Partner poses to try can be found in this inspiring book called “Playful Family Yoga for Kids, Parents and Grandparents” by Teressa Asencia. Try these easy poses with your children or have them do them together.

Partner Boat Pose: Each person starts facing each other seated with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grab ahold of each other’s hands on the outside of your legs while placing the soles of your feet together. Using core strength, lift both feet up and straigten your legs while balancing on your sit bones in boat pose.

Partner Lotus Pose: Starting in the same way as above, grab ahold of each other’s hand on the inside of the legs this time and lift legs up with your feet touching and while balancing on your sit bones.

Sunbathing on a Rock: One person starts in child’s pose. The other person stands at their partner’s feet facing away from their partner. Gently, the standing partner lowers themselves down so their sacrum (lower back) is resting on the sacrum of their partner in child’s pose. The partner on top then drapes their body over their partner so that both of their heads are next to each other. Partners must talk to each other and respect each other. The partner on top then opens their chest up by extending their arms to the sides. When the bottom partner is ready, switch.

Savasana(ahhhhhh)

I had a surprise on Sunday when I went to teach my final 5-7 year old class… no one showed up! It was Father’s Day so I’m sure all my little yogis were home snuggling with their dads. I had the blessing of a free Sunday morning to take a class for a change and Karyn’s Sunday class is one of my favorites. The class was mat to mat packed and, ironically, the women far outnumbered the men. I guess moms felt that dads needed one-on-one time with the kids on Father’s Day morning! Class started a bit late. We had just transitioned to the floor after an hour and five minutes with savasana getting closer when my life interfered with my yoga. The guilt I started to feel about leaving my husband (especially after he just got back into town late the night before from the most horrendous week of his life) made it impossible for me to stay for savasana—the icing on top of the cake in yoga. After working so hard on my mat—erasing the stress of the week and trying to ignore the dripping sweat from the man doing yoga inches away making annoying Darth Vadar breathing sounds—all I wanted to do was to rest in corpse pose and feel my muscles relax fully and find that feeling of rejuvenation. But it didn’t happen. I got up and left my oasis of peace behind.

Kids, too, LOVE savasana. Some may have trouble, as adults do, succumbing to the power of savasana but once they do, it is craved and something to which they look forward. I had a boy in my 5-7 year old class who would beg for savasana as soon as he entered the studio!

I have rituals that I use in class for savasana. I use the “Savansana Song” by the Bingo Kids to get the children to start preparing their minds and bodies for rest. I dim the lights and have soothing music on in the background. I either do a series of asanas that promotes sleep (see below) or I use scripts to ease the class into relaxation. Each child has a breathing buddy (little stuffed animal) that I put on bellies to help them focus on their breath rising and falling. Some children like to bring their own from home. I have found a couple of wonderful books with different relaxation scripts (such as Ready Set R.E.L.A.X or Relax Kids: Aladdin’s Magic Carpet: And other Fairy Tale Meditations for Princesses and Superheroes) with affirmations that I use. I have also had the kids squeeze and relax different body parts from their feet to their heads to release tension and promote relaxation. I come around with wonderful smelling aromatherapy oil to dab on inner wrists once everyone is settled. After three to five minutes, I begin to end savasana and have the kids come back into their breath and bodies by wiggling toes and fingers. Some kids don’t want to wake up while other kids jump up instantly to help me with the lights as their little bodies or minds are eager to move again—rested and refreshed!

Poses that promote sleep:

child’s pose
seated forward bend
seated twists (both sides)
fish pose
legs up the wall
lying twist
goddess pose

Teaching Children About Gratitude

By Romanlily

It is often noted that the more we are consciously grateful for the happier we are in life. Oprah once said, “If you look at what you have in life, you’ll always have more. If you look at what you don’t have in life, you’ll never have enough”. I believe this to be true. There have been times when after being very content with my home and lifestyle I go to a new friend’s home and come back feeling less enchanted by my possessions after being exposed to their possessions or style. I am ashamed, but it’s true. I also find that shows on HGTV and various catalogs that get uninvited into my mailbox make me covet and feel dissatisfied.

As a parent,  I have been disappointed by my children when it comes to being ungrateful for the abundance in their lives. I do not buy frivolously (although my husband might think otherwise). My children don’t often get things “off season” of birthdays or holidays. So where does being ungrateful of possessions or gifts of experience come from? I think that it takes practice to make being aware of your blessings a natural daily act but I do believe that it is possible.

How do you teach children about gratitude?  Here are a few ideas.

A book I have mentioned previously called 10 -Minute Life Lessons For Kids by Jamie Miller offers four ideas to teach gratitude. The following idea is a visual representation of seeing your blessings which can help make an impact.

This activity can be done in a group. You would need a saucer, plastic spoon, salt, black pepper and a piece of woolen cloth

First, fill a saucer with a half cup of salt. Have a child sprinkle a small amount of pepper over the salt and stir the pepper around. Next, the child holds the plastic spoon over the salt and pepper without it touching but close to it. Explain that the pepper represents the blessings in our lives and that it is often hard to see those blessings when they seem to be outnumbered by our problems or our “wants”.  Focusing on what we don’t have makes us feel empty like the spoon. Now have the child rub the spoon with the woolen cloth and hold the spoon over the bowl again. The pepper should be attracted and stick to the spoon. Stopping often to think about our blessings in life (positive relationships, nature, conveniences in life) makes our hearts grateful and open to seeing the good in every day.

Another activity to encourage gratitude is to make a gratitude journal. Have your child make a special journal to write down daily something for which they feel thankful. Or, make a special box that your child can keep souvenirs from experiences that they are thankful for as a visual reminder.

One thing that my family does regularly at dinner time is to go around the table and talk about something good that happened during the day. Sometimes I specify saying something that they are grateful for and sometimes we just talk about the positive moments of our days. Thanksgiving is not the only time to remember to be grateful. Make it a habit and see if it brightens up each day.

I am grateful for the ability to teach yoga, share my ideas, and for you, my readers.

Namaste.

Final Kids Yoga Class and the Promises of Summer

Thai Jasmine

I have had a very tough week with mourning the death of my mother-in-law. My husband’s family dynamics were complicated and the emotions accompanying her death were varied and ran very deep. I am emotionally drained today. To make matters more stressful, travel home was delayed because of weather and my children and I didn’t get home until mid-night only to wake up to the final Friday of school and all the neglected forms to be signed for school parties and homework to be finished. We all were tired and the day started off hectic to say the least. Morning meditation was not in the picture and I don’t think a deep breath was taken until the last child was out the door.

What to make of the day ahead? To start, a walk with the dog and my mother to help sort out the last few days events and clear my head. It’s funny how the act of talking about something doesn’t always work to clear the mind at all. In fact, I find rehashing certain moments, mostly negative energy moments, to work in the opposite way. I have read in another favorite blog written by Gretchen Rubin called the Happiness Project that talking about problems or venting doesn’t make you feel better or happier at all. A good yoga practice or meditation is much better at clearing thoughts and creating peace. The act of focusing on the present moment works wonders with depression and sadness. Thinking about the past or worrying about the future does not help; you can’t undo the past and most things one worries about don’t come to fruition. It seems so obvious, but it is so hard sometimes to do the thing that helps the most—taking time to breath.

I also had on my to do list for the day to teach my final 3-5 year-old class. This class has been a joy to teach but also comes with its own challenges. Class is at the community center and is labeled an “enrichment class” for the early childhood department. What that means is that the nursery school children come to my class after they have had lunch… on Friday. I had talked about the different energy levels of classes before. This class was comedic. The children would come in and we would start with breathing exercises and mini-meditation (cow and cat sounds) and then a sun salutation. One by one the children would have to excuse themselves to use the bathroom as their bodies digestive systems awakened in class. The disruptions are frequent and the different levels of potty training make class very amusing. The kids don’t want to miss a moment so there is always the request to wait before doing the next yoga activity and accidents have happened when things were fun and listening to body signals less important.

I must say that today’s class was bliss. Because of end of the year graduation class celebrations, not all of the chidren attended this final class. The smaller class size created a calmer energy. We played with my new Thumball. I mentioned my excitement about this product in a past post and this new yoga tool works wonders. We used the ABC ball and did yoga poses based on the letter the child had his/her thumb on when catching the ball. We were scared hedgehogs in tight balls and sea otters lying on our backs, elephants spraying our friends and trees blowing in the wind.

The end of class came quickly—savasana with breathing buddies, my special relaxation oil dabbed onto little wrists and temples and sometimes feet or tummies if requested and finally tiny voices remembering to shout “namaste” with hands to hearts.  The end of the year hugs from these little friends helped remove a bit of the sadness that has clinged to (and sometimes drenched) me this week. Summer is here and with it comes deep breathes and the warm breezes and the excitement that comes with change.

Music for Children’s Yoga Classes

Part of the fun of teaching yoga is being able to pick music to go with the class. I find that with children’s yoga classes I try to match poses with music and I try to be very careful of lyrics. Music can be a powerful tool.

I like to start class off with something upbeat. Lately I have been using Jack Johnson. The kids often recognize the songs from the movie Curious George. I have also used Snatam Kaur’s Feeling Good Today CD to start off class. The music once lead to a class discussion about the origins of yoga as many of her songs use sanskrit.

Music sets the tone for a class as it can increase or decrease energy. When I turn on Who Let The Dogs Out while we practice our down dogs, you can feel the energy crackle with anticipation for flipping our dogs and barking and working hard.  In contrast, I have used a new age song called Hot Air Balloon by Aerial Acoustics while doing the breathing exercise “Balloon Breath” which lends itself to gracefully flowing through the classroom as our balloons deflate.

For my older kids classes, I make a point of finding songs with lyrics that inspire. There are so many songs for the tween/teen age group that are about needing someone else for things to be better that I try to find songs that are self affirming. Some examples are Everlife’s Daring to Be Different or Find Yourself in You, JoJo’s song Exceptional and Jordan Pruitt’s Outside Looking In.

I also like to end class with something more gentle like Sarah McLachlan’s version of Blackbird or Israel Kamakawiwo’s version or Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Check out some of the music I’ve mentioned and please share your favorite yoga music!

Tools to Teach Breathing

I love to start my classes with a breathing exercise. It helps the kids center. Depending on the type of breath it can also energize or calm. Some of the breathing exercises and tools that I use to help the kids remember the different types of breathing are listed below.

1. Bunny Breath — this breathing exercise can be done with a prop or on its own. Starting in sitting hero pose or sitting on knees, you take 4 to 5 quick breathes in through the nose with a slow exhale out of the nose. Sometimes I will bring a flower or paper cups with cotton balls that have drops of essential oils such as lemon or peppermint or vanilla from my pantry for the kids to pass and smell as they use their noses like bunnies. This breath is very energizing as the body is getting a large amount of fresh oxygen from the quick succession of breaths.
2. The Yoga Calm program uses a Hoberman Sphere to help children visualize their lungs expanding while breathing in and contracting while exhaling. This product is very effective, however, it is pricey. Another way to demonstrate the same action of expanding and contracting is to use a plastic slinky found at any party supply store. This way the entire class can use them simultaneously.  I would use what YogaKids calls a Take 5 Breath with these tools. Breath in to a count of five. Hold the breath for one count and then exhale for a count of five.
3. Another fun way to help children focus on their breath is to give each child a pom pom to place at the end of their mat and using a straw have each child try to blow the pom pom across their mats (or across the studio) using the least amount of breaths. This encourages slow, relaxed exhales.
4. One final example of another tool for breath work is to give each child a pinwheel (or have the kids make their own) and have them watch the pin wheel while they exhale. Can they make the pin wheel move using breath from their noses? How hard must the breath be to create movement? All of these questions help students become aware of breath which is an important aspect of yoga.

Life Would Be Stale Without Change

I will always strive to except all of life’s lessons, to grow from them and to keep creating challenges that continue that growth. Without change and challenges, complacency arrives and life becomes stale. Sadly today I am mourning the loss of the life of a family member. Her life and now death reinforces this belief for me for many reasons.

Today I have decided to share quotes and writings that inspire me and motivate me and push me out of complacency and back into living. I have used some of these quotes to start a class discussion or as an ending in class during savasana.

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. –Dr. Seuss

Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon,
there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are
always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are
right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires
some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories,
but it takes brave men and women to win them.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

The important thing is this: To be able at any moment to sacrifice what
we are for what we could become.

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure,
to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer
meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for
in movement there is life, and in change there is power.-Alan Cohen

If you look at what you have in life,
You’ll always have more.
If you look at what you don’t have in life,
You’ll never have enough.
Oprah Winfrey

“Meditate. Breathe consciously. Listen. Pay attention. Treasure every
moment. Make the connection.”
— Oprah Winfrey

“It isn’t the great big pleasures that count the most; it’s making a
great deal out of the little ones.”
— Jean Webster

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that
something else is more important than fear.
Ambrose Redmoon

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.  To keep our faces toward change
and behave like free spirits in the presence of fate is strength undefeatable”
Helen Keller

I Am Powerful!
Author Unknown

I am very powerful!
Whatever I set my mind on having, I will have.
Whatever I decide to be, I will be.
The evidence is all around me.
The power of my will has brought me precisely to where I am right now.
I have made the choices. I have held the thoughts.
I have taken the actions to create my current reality.
And I have the power to change it into whatever I want it to be.
With the choices I make, I am constantly fulfilling the vision I have
for my life.
If that does not seem to be the case —
then I am deceiving myself about what I really want.
Because what I really, truly want, I will get!
What I truly wanted in the past, I already have.
If I want to build a billion-dollar business, I will take the actions
necessary to do it.
If I want to sit comfortably watching TV night after night —
I will take the actions necessary for that.
Don’t be disappointed in my results —
they’re just the outward manifestation of my priorities.
I will be sure of what I truly want,
because I am sure to get it!

“At one of my very first seminars I answered a question that would be most revealing over the next 20+ years. I was still in my 20’s and I was asked about motivation for a contest. I really had no prepared answer because I had been an athlete, even mentally my whole life, so the idea of being unmotivated or not motivated never actually occurred to me till that very moment. But my answer had some people shaking their heads. I said what motivates me is that my body is the house where my true self will reside for the rest of my life. Like any house, the more I like the surroundings and lack of clutter and the more clean and organized that environment, than the more likely I am to think more clearly and “be” a better me. That was my answer even way back then about motivation.”  — bodybuilding coach Scott Abel

The Invitation
Oriah Mountain Dreamer
Canadian Teacher and Author

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dreams
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon…
I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your
fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand on the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after a night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the center of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

Head Fakes and How Kids’ Yoga Is More Than Just Stretching

One of my favorite yoga teachers talks often in class about what she calls “head fakes”. She is referring to how people who do yoga may think that they are there to stretch or change their bodies, but in actuality the yoga is changing their minds. For example, while on the mat you learn how to breath through a difficult pose—coming to your breath instead of your mind or a reaction to come out of the pose—you  relax and the pose becomes easier. This then translates when off the mat during a difficult situation or an argument when you find yourself coming first into your breath before reacting which likely changes the outcome of the situation. Another great yoga to life analogy is “how you are on the mat is how you are off the mat”. If you don’t try to get up in crow pose, do you also stop from trying new things in life out of fear? Or, if you break from a pose because it is difficult, do you also tend to not complete projects in your life or go after goals when things get challenging? Those life revelations or “aha moments” are what I love about yoga.

So how does this apply to children? As parents or teachers I believe it is our role to help children learn about their strengths and who they are. It is a fact that if an individual knows what their strengths are and makes sure that their life is full of activities that put to use those strengths, they will have a more contented life. How do you learn about your strengths? Being aware of oneself and what activities bring joy is a great place to start.

I have a game that my kids in class love to play that helps them think about who they are. I call this game yoga bowling. The kids can either sit in butterfly pose with their feet touching, or, to make the game more challenging, they can stay in a crab crawl position. They find a spot around the room and I roll a ball toward them (the pins). They can either move side to side in butterfly pose or scatter around in crab. If they get hit by the bowler, they must stand in tree or mountain pose and answer a question that I ask. My questions are all about them. What is your favorite activity after school? What is your favorite book? What is your favorite food? What is one of your favorite memories? You get the idea. What I find interesting is that the kids don’t end up trying hard to NOT get hit. They want to be asked questions about themselves. They want to share all of their skills, desires and favorites. Those questions are not asked often enough in their lives and yet the answers are so much more important to know than the capitols of each state. Try spending some of those rare quiet times with the kids in your life asking them questions about themselves and see their eyes light up.

New Products that I Love:

I just ordered a yoga tool that I am sooooo excited about. It is called a Thumball. I saw something like this idea in this months Family Fun magazine and was going to make a yoga version when I came across this great product line. Thumballs are soccer balls with different words printed on each hexagon. There are many versions such as “Ice Breaker” and “Who are You”. The idea is that whoever gets the ball picks it up and answers a question or does some activity where their thumb rests. Brilliant! I also picked up an animal and alphabet version as those will work well with games that require yoga poses.

Another game that I recently discovered is called Totika. It is like Jenga however there are cards that have color coded questions. When you pull out a colored piece, you must answer the correlating question. The catagories are Life Skills and Principles, Values and Beliefs with a Self-Esteem deck also included with each. I have the Life Skills version on its way and will try it out on my family before bringing it into class.

Play, laugh and learn!

Namaste.