Lately, “Mommy and Me” yoga has been all the rage. And we get why.
Mommy and Me Yoga is just as beneficial for you as it is for your child and your relationship with them. And it’s mad fun.
In this post, we’re going to cover the reasons why you should give mommy and me yoga a try. Some of the benefits are scientific with evidence to back them up. Others are based on research using anecdotal evidence. Some are from personal experience. And some are just common sense.
Let’s go over just some of the reasons why you may choose mommy & me yoga as your next activity:
- It opens your kids up to new sports & activities
- Who needs soccer, football, baseball, etc. when you can have tree poses, downward dogs, and headstands?
- You get to workout
- Finding time to workout while you have a small horde of screaming kids vying for your attention and time can be difficult. With mommy & me yoga you get to workout while spending time with them. Way to multi-task!
- You don’t have to worry about finding a babysitter while you yoga
- If you want to get to an evening class, it may be tough when the kids need watching, feeding, and help getting ready for bed. No need to find a sitter or ask your hubbie to look after them, just take them with you!
- It can expend some of their endless energy
- You will probably get some more quiet time around the house when you get back from class. Also, quiet time after yoga is the best.
- Increased flexibility = decreased chance of some injuries
- You may not wince as hard when they jump down stairs or off outdoors features. The more flexible they are, the less likely they are to get injured.
- All the Celebs are Doing It
- Yes, this is not really a valid reason, but it does show how much this trend is catching on
- Your Kids Will Get to Make New Friends
- And not just internet friends – like the real, in-the-flesh, I can talk to you face-to-face type of friendship
- It Can Enhance Your Child’s Imagination
- As if kids didn’t already have enough of it, yoga can help enhance imagination. Their imaginary friend may start to make some more appearances in your future.
- You’ll Find Like-minded People in a Similar Situation as You
- Sometimes you just want to talk to other adults. And others in your mommy and me yoga class may also be looking for the same thing. Perhaps after class one day you can hang out with the other moms and let the kids have a playdate while you enjoy a glass of wine. Nice.
- You don’t have to find things to do or run errands while your kid has sports practice
- Mommy and Me Yoga is so much better than soccer practice. No need to worry about if you can check everything off the grocery/dry-cleaning/errand list and still get there to pick them up on time
- There May Even Be Some Moments of Silence During the Class
- Silence. Do you remember what that sounds like?
- Your Did Gets to Play
- Kids need time to be kids. You may find them rolling around on the floor more than doing yoga, but so what?
- You Get To Be a Bit of a Kid Again With Playful Poses
- Who said fun and play was just for kids. I mean, how much fun does this look? And another question – who is having more fun?
A photo posted by Melisa Soares-RYT 200 (@meliyogibeatriz) on
- You Get to Bond with Your Child
- Sharing new experiences with them and introducing them to something you may already love can help you guys get close. You may even find activities you both enjoy.
- You and Your Kid Get Some Stress Relief.
- We all hate to admit it, but it seems like kids face more stress at younger ages these days. Yoga can help them relax a bit.
- It Gets Them Out From Behind The Screen
- Give their eyes a break. With the popularity of minecraft, texting, snapchatting, and movie watching, kids are spending more time than ever staring at a screen. Bonus points if the class is outside and surrounded by nature.
- Yoga Can Improve Mental Ability
- There is some evidence that yoga can improve cognition in kids. Watch out! An athlete and a smartie. That’s a combo to be reckoned with.
- Your Child’s Spatial Memory May Improve
- Yoga may be able to help them navigate faster in minecraft. How’s that for a way to persuade them to come to class with you?
- It May Result in Better Coordination
- Maybe after some practice with your tot, you could do this….psssssst…yeah right
- Calm
- Yoga can help with hyperactivity and is a complementary treatment for kids with ADHD
- Mommy & Me Yoga Can Improve Yours and Your Child’s Strength
- You have a nice little weight in the form of a small baby or toddler human being that can add depth to stretches. Bonus calories burned! And of course, it can also increase your child’s strength.
- It Can Improve Posture
- I don’t know about you, but I have a habit of slouching that I developed when I was young. Maybe if I had worked on it at that time, it wouldn’t affect me as much to this day. Should’ve done yoga with my mum.
- It is Gentle
- Your kids aren’t exactly putting on football helmets and running into each other in yoga class, making you wince when they hit the ground. Mommy & me yoga is a much gentler form of exercise.
- Yoga Can Curb Obesity
- The gentle exercise of yoga can help kids stay active and lean. Taking up yoga may even help you start to make small positive changes for your health that can parallel your kid’s health as well.
- Your Child May Have Fewer Discipline Attacks
- Kids who did yoga were less likely to defy their parents orders. Unexpected but awesome benefit, right?
- It Can Decrease Anger and Panic Attacks
- Not even kids are immune to the calming and happiness increasing effects of yoga
- Mommy and Me Yoga Can Help to Improve Focus
- With the barrage of information we face everyday, yoga can help kids focus on the task at hand – which may translate into improved focus in school and at home.
- It May Help Improve Academic Performance
- To add to the above point, yoga for kids has been shown to improve academic performance. Do you notice a theme on this list? More fun, more relaxation, more smarts!
- It’s Just Plain Fun
- If the above reasons aren’t enough for you, then at least give mommy and me yoga a shot for the sole reason that it is fun.
So there we have it. 29 Awesome reasons to take up mommy and me yoga class.
References and Other Great Resources
- The Young Yoga Master’s Blog. They offer awesome tips for doing, teaching, and introducing yoga to kids.
- The Little Yoga House Blog. Great kid’s yoga articles, plus fun lifestyle articles for mom, too.
- Cosmic Kids Yoga. Think adult yoga videos meets the wiggles.
- NK, M., & Telles, S. (2004). Spatial and verbal memory test scores following yoga and fine arts camps for school children. Indian J Physiol Pharmacol, 48(3), 353-356.http://minimeyoga.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/SPATIAL_AND_VERBAL_MEMORY.pdf
- White, Laura Santangelo. Pediatric Nursing. 35.5 (Sep/Oct 2009): 277-83, 295. http://search.proquest.com/openview/377d408748bac0d4ee2c5030fc33c762/1?pq-origsite=gscholar
- Galantino, M. L., Galbavy, R., & Quinn, L. (2008). Therapeutic effects of yoga for children: a systematic review of the literature. Pediatric Physical Therapy, 20(1), 66-80. http://journals.lww.com/pedpt/Fulltext/2008/01910/Therapeutic_Effects_of_Yoga_for_Children__A.10.aspx
- Haffner, J., Roos, J., Goldstein, N., Parzer, P., & Resch, F. (2006). [The effectiveness of body-oriented methods of therapy in the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): results of a controlled pilot study]. Zeitschrift fur Kinder-und Jugendpsychiatrie und Psychotherapie, 34(1), 37-47. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/16485612
