While adult yoga students sometimes have a hard time with the mind-emptying, om-shantying parts of classes, kids can be more receptive—but don't expect them to become masters overnight. "Children are used to so much stimulation, it can be hard to get them to sit still," Donohue says. "Just closing their eyes can seem scary, and it usually takes me three to four weeks to convince them that it isn't, that it's good. But 20 kids sitting perfectly still and meditating is quite a sight—it's nice to see them so relaxed." He encourages his students to use such calming techniques in the (non-yoga) classroom—before taking a test, say, or speaking in front of a group. "This ability can be a wonderful thing for the rest of their lives." The yogic ethos should help kids remember that it's perfectly okay not to be perfect—that they don't have to push themselves or compete with friends. "I can tell, when their breathing becomes short and ragged, that they're taking a pose beyond their capabilities," says Donohue. "But flexible people aren't better than unflexible people; they just do the poses differently." With principles like that one, your child will be well on her way down the path to enlightenment.
The downside of upside-down poses
Flash back to your first few yoga classes: Remember that frisson of fear when headstands got tossed into the mix? Kids don't get scared like that: "They may want to attempt things like head-, shoulder-, and handstands," says Baptiste. "But it's important that they don't put weight directly on their heads until they've developed good coordination and body awareness, to avoid damaging neck musculature and joints." No child under 8 should try upside-down moves, and older kids should be supervised by an adult. "Adults also need to be aware of the right way to assist kids," Baptiste adds. "Poses should be demonstrated with visual and verbal cues, and perhaps a light touch, but children's bodies should never be pulled or pushed."
