It’s all too easy to forget how hectic children’s lives can be, what with school, homework, extra lessons and sporting activities to fit in. And when added stress, from problems at home or bullying at school, occur, a child can suffer greatly, often in silence.

While music, art or sport can sometimes help relieve stress, it’s not as well-known that practising yoga can bring enormous benefits to a child. I have recently qualified as a YogaBugs Teacher and will be offering classes to children aged 2 ½ to 7 years in the Lincoln area, with classes for 8 to 12 year olds after December 2006.

Yoga can reap these rewards for our children:

• Breathing exercises improve concentration and energy levels
• Relaxation techniques clear the mind, allowing for better memory retention
• Postures help recharge a weak immune system and strengthen the core, stabilising ...muscles in the abdomen and back.
• Posture work also helps tone the body and reduce obesity, maintaining a child’s natural ...flexibility which can start to shut down from an early age.
• Yoga classes help develop creativity and self expression and improves self-confidence ...through vocalisation techniques and postures designed to release day-to-day anxieties.
• The practice of yoga improves co-ordination and balance, promotes healthy sleep ...patterns and allows children to explore their intuitive and spiritual side.

If you feel your children could do with a helping hand in finding their way through school, home and their personal lives, then please email me using the contact form.