Lately, I’ve begun to think of incorporating yoga into my routine with my daughter, Bella, who just turned two. She’s always loved to watch me do it, but for a while it was frustrating to try to practice if she was awake. She’d run around, knock me over, pull my hair to get my attention, or come lay on me during a pose.
I started to do it just during her nap instead.
But the past couple months, I’ve seen her begin to take notice of things she’d never really been interested in before. So a few weeks ago, I began to do yoga with her around again.
She was smitten with the mat, loving to walk on it with her bare feet. As I encouraged her to sit next to me for the beginning stretches, she would smile and try to mimic what I did.
Going online for her birthday, I looked all over for some type of program that would be geared for her age, but found nothing. The lowest age range I saw was 3, and I know between 2 and 3 there are major motor skill adjustments to be made and didn’t want to frustrate her.
So I decided to check out a book on Toddler Yoga from the library and see what they said. For the most part, at this age they encouraged simply practicing beside the child and letting them join in when they wanted.
Once again, I started to practice with Bella beside me in the evenings. There is no pressure, I want her to love it on her own. She comes and goes as she pleases, but loves to sit and grab the bottoms of her feet, try a downward dog, stretch her arms out on the mat for a child’s pose, and lift her hands to the sky in delight each time I do.
I have to stop on occasion when she gets too close (I might whack her on the next move), or she is frustrated when she can’t figure out what I’m doing – but there is lots of praise and encouragement, and sometimes even laughter as I watch her strike a pose.
My hope is as she gets older we find a place near us that will allow us to practice together, and that it’s something she grows to love as much as I have. But for now, it’s just another thing she does to be like me. And that’s the most special part of it.
How do you manage exercise with children? Or, what types of athletics are your children involved in?
This is an original post to World Moms Blog from Diana in El Paso, TX. She can also be found on her blog, Hormonal Imbalances.
Photo credit to CreativeDC. This photo has a creative commons attribution license.
I thought Cedella was too young too, though she always imitates me when she sees me in different poses. Guess it’s just the beginning of her practice. Gonna look for a book today!
Hi Diana!
I think it’s great that your daughter and you now share a common interest! I took my daughter to a mommy and me yoga class when she was a toddler. Every now and then she’ll do a tree pose or a downward dog — I need to take her back. One of the things I liked the best about it was teaching the kids about the deep breathing for helping them relax and deal with any anxiety — what a great skill for them to use throughout life!!
Thanks for writing about this!
Jen 🙂
I so want to find the time and energy to start yoga again. I did it for a while about ten years ago…
Kids are natural born mimics and will learn more from watching us go about our day then they ever will by us telling them.
I am in a funky stage right now with exercise. My toddler is 21 months, and I need to do it when he is napping. I used to jog with him in the stroller, but now he does NOT want to be constrained. And he just isn’t ready to join in. Whenever I try to stretch, he climbs on me instantly. But just last night, I took out my old yoga DVD once the kids were asleep and did the whole thing for the first time in over a year. It was so wonderful, and I need to work this back into my life consistently.
We also really like to hike together as a family, which works great as the toddler can go in the backpack carrier once he is tired enough.
Good luck with pursuing your yoga practice as a family!
I really need to get back into it. I used to do Pilates, but havent managed to find the time since my daughter was born. It doesnt help that I have a full time job either, since any time that I am not working I want to be home with the kids. I love the idea of incorporating the kids into it – I wonder if anyone has any mini-refomers? 🙂
I have the same problem with my daughter (and my dog). Every time I start doing yoga they both are between my legs, under me, on me… dog licks me, my daughter sits on me, or as you said pulls my hair… just a dissaster. She is 19 months now and she is extremly good in “downward dog her way”… . I haven’t done it for a while but I’m planning to get back to it after the second one is born.
I think that you’re doing such an amazing thing letting her exercise with you. It will pay off in the future, that’s for sure!