Inner peace and enlightenment is the goal of your yoga practice? Then allow your child(ren) to participate in your yoga practice and let it show you how strong your inner peace is.

Testing your inner peace

Because they will climb on you, they will talk to you, they will tell you to do things differently and they will want you to finish your practice early so they can get your undivided attention. Then you will know where you stand with your yoga practice, because your yoga practice is just preparation of what will happen outside of your yoga mat.

Redefining your me time

I used to close the door when I practiced, so I could get some “real” me time. I used to practice when my son was asleep, so I could really focus on my yoga time. But getting from zero to hero doesn`t happen overnight. Yes, the older they get the easier it is for them to play on their own. Building their resilience however can start small. Just as meditating a few minutes with them in the same room, practicing yoga when they are with you will also teach them how to respect others’ needs. It will show them what a yoga practice looks like, how you come back to your practice on a regular basis and how you practice the same yoga asanas over and over again.

Let them explore your yoga practice

Start small and be ready for the unexpected. Let your children try the poses with you, let them guide you and let them play around you. Maybe get a deck of yoga cards and while you practice they can find the yoga card for the matching yoga asana you are doing. They could also put together a sequence of yoga asanas you can do together after you finished your practice. My son always loved to climb under me in downward facing dog or wheel/bridge pose. Accept what happens and be ready to play, to move, to stop and to continue. Your inner peace will become their inner peace (one day..).

The biggest reward of a yoga practice spent with your child(ren) is the cuddling time in savasana – enjoy those beautiful moments to connect and bond.