Why I Love Teaching Yoga to Children

My love of working with children began when I was myself a child. At the age of 12 I began babysitting. In high school I worked in a preschool. In college I took about a dozen Human Development classes focusing mainly on Child Development. For years I taught dance to children of all ages. Then, about seven years ago I stumbled upon my love of teaching yoga to children and my whole world changed.

While I really enjoyed teaching dance to children whenever it became time to work on our recital dance I always felt like something shifted. I could no longer just be present with the kids in the room. Rather, we were constantly in production mode working towards a final goal, the show.

Performing was always my favorite part of being a dancer and I had so many amazing teachers throughout the years who had a gift when it came to choreography and rehearsal leading up to a show. However in my heart, I found that I yearned for something different. I wished there was a way I could to connect with children without working towards a final product. I just wanted to be present with them.

See, that's what I love about kids- they are present. Even after working with children for over a decade I am constantly amazed by how they often find beauty that we as adults otherwise wouldn't have noticed. Now that I'm a mom, seeing the world through my daughter's eyes every single day is the most precious gift.

So when I realized I could share my love of yoga with children I knew this would become a deep passion for me. How amazing! I could share the concepts of yoga with the open-minded and open-spirited children that were like sponges as they took in all these hugely beneficial ideas that had changed my life.

I could teach them how important our breathing is and how it can change how we feel. I could teach them how to slow down their minds and find moments of quiet. I could teach them some fun poses and help them gain confidence in their physical abilities while also reassuring them that yoga is a practice; even if we can't do a pose today doesn't mean we won't be able to do it one day.

I wish to share yoga with as many children possible, and even more than that I wish that every child that comes to my class feels seen, heard and respected. I believe that being truly present with another person is the ultimate present! Teaching yoga to children allows me to give that gift.