Just the other day, one of my former yoga students who has an active toddler boy, called me for Chinese New Year greeting. We exchanged few pleasantries catching up our missing times since her pregnancy a couple years back. While we were talking, she jokingly mentioned that her previous ambition to have five children still remained, but since she is not so young now (36 years old, a Tiger), she will just have to surrender to God for whatever He can give. Meanwhile they are aiming for a Tiger baby born of a Tiger mother this year. We laughed and hung up the phone after wishing her good luck.
Maybe it’s not only her but all girls’ dream is to have many children in their life if conditions and circumstances allowed. I too used to joke of having five children to make each one a lawyer, a doctor, a politician, a businessman and an artist—thus covering all my unfulfilled dreams of what I wanted to become when I grew up. As fate would have it, I married late and got busy with life and ended up with only one kid, instead of five. But I still love children and admire those who have many because they are such a bundle of joy at the same time, real life teachers to us.
As any parents would agree, it is never easy to raise kids since they demand of us endless sacrifices and patience. It’s also true that despite such enormous challenges, we will do anything for them, with whatever it takes, to make them happy and well. The sweats and toils of parenthood are nothing compare to what they bring to us --- unconditional love, pure happiness and sheer joy. They make any parent very proud and mellow, to look forward to their fine future with love and hope.
Unfortunately, as great as our love for them is, so are our expectations of them. In our overzealousness to give them the best, we sometimes forget how much is too much or how little is too little. Over pampered kids screaming and running around in a department store is one common sight these days. Hyperactive kids who constantly harass parents, teachers and friends, increasing number of kids with ADD and autism are common behavioral disorders in children. Even among the normal children, many silently suffer from high stress and anxiety attacks due to heavy school works, various tuitions and various talents classes.
Given the chance to grow in their own time and space, I believe that all children will eventually know exactly what they want and what’s best for them, because all children are whole and magical when they’ve decided to come to inhabit the earth. It is us adult that don’t see the wholeness and magic because we’ve imposed our perception of what’s best on them. Children are naturally genius (ie genii, magical), creative and wise. It has been consistently proven that a child learns best while playing and having fun, by mimicking the world around them with natural movements and creative imaginations. Their untainted minds are like a plain clear canvas, and only they can draw and paint anything they like. Parents only need to create the space and time for this to happen.
Increasingly we see many of our children grow up in a cloistered and hurried environment -- in the securely guarded house, in the car, in the school, tuition centers etc. Unfortunately these children quickly lose their ability to dream and eventually become small adults. However, we all love to see children with their uninhibited carefree spirit, silvery laughter and natural joy. I wonder why so many parents have forgotten this simple truth.
Recently, it has been found that yoga can be of great help for children in their early formative years. It increases their self-awareness, builds their self-esteem, and strengthens their bodies. Creative, fun and playful Yoga exercises increase energy as they release tension. It helps children by improving their flexibility, motor-skills, body image, memory and self-confidence. Yoga also enhances children’s concentration and improves patience. Yoga is a time-tested science of movement. Many of the postures are names inspired from nature. Some are named after animals, such as the cobra, cats and dogs. Some postures are called mountain, tree and lotus. Through various yoga playful exercises, these postures regulate the child’s brain and nervous system, making the child naturally vibrant and happy, and helping them to grow up as a healthy and whole person. As parents, we want to create the space and time for natural unfolding of genius, just as the cocoon cannot be forced, but to be allowed, to become a butterfly.
If you are and interested in KidsYoga, don’t miss out on the March intake as the seats are limited to ensure quality attention to each child.
Announcement:
1. KidsYoga for Fun and Play (new intake from 6th march 9.30am)
2. Free Yoga Walk for Better Health and Posture.
Every Sunday 6.30—8am, the north Badminton court in Section 7
3. Monthly Wellness Program (based on Chinese Medicine and Yoga therapy)
