Yoga for Families

The sharing and caring of family life ideally revolves around doing things together as a unit, particularly when children are young and more dependent on their lovingly attentive adult companions.  But in busy family households, especially when both parents are working outside the home while the children attend school, there may be precious little time or opportunity for developing family lifestyles beyond the basic essentials of eating, sleeping, homework, housework etc.  In such situations, passive entertainment can provide the simplest form of light relief because it requires minimal mental and physical effort when so much is already being expended elsewhere.  One of the likely unfortunate consequences is a lack of regular exercise for all family members young and old with the obvious impact of a tendency towards obesity and less than optimal health and wellbeing.

Yoga is suitable for all ages, every member of the nuclear and extended family, and at every level of interest or ability!  Becoming aware of how to achieve a healthy body, an alert mind and sense of calm can only be of lifelong benefit to the whole family.  Mums and dads can take the lead in encouraging their children to take up a physically active hobby and yoga is an activity that can be enjoyed and shared by all in the family.  Common interests among family members, whatever they may be, can nurture togetherness through the pleasure of the activity itself and relating or comparing personal experiences.  And what fun it may be for children to discover they can outperform their parents in yoga postures!  In addition to younger children, it is also lovely for teenagers to do yoga with their parents.

At Yogatree we certainly encourage parents, guardians and relatives to bring family members, young and old, to yoga class to see if they like it! We offer special discounts for members of the same household and welcome couples, siblings, friends, fathers and daughters, mothers and sons – all configurations of family relationships can be found enjoying yoga together in our classes!

Books you may want to look at:
            “Teaching Meditation to Children”, David Fontana & Ingrid Slack
            “Yoga Education for Children”, Swami Satyananda Saraswati
            “The Mozart Effect for Children”, Don Campbell