I had my youngest student ever In my last training – a 14 year old!  She fit in wonderfully (I admit I am her biased aunt).  Everyone in the course worked so well together and brought something unique to the course.  Among the small group we had a Montessori teacher, gymnast, Pilates teacher, school teacher, yoga teacher, mothers, daughters, and a babysitter (Diana).  Some playing many of these roles.

Now I don’t want to take all the credit for my awesome niece. Her parents, grandparents, teachers, friends probably helped too.  But I realize Diana has always had yoga in her life and she’s always liked it.  So here’s a little anecdotal evidence as a tribute to prove how Yoga has helped my 14 year old niece become a beautiful young woman and fledgling yoga teacher.

To Diana – for 14 Years of Yoga

• for the excitement of waiting for you to be born, with the use of a few relaxing yoga breathing techniques (some by your mom – and a lot by me in the hallway!) to help us be more relaxed to welcome this beautiful baby girl into our lives,
• for playing yoga games, listening to yoga music, and doing kids meditations on so many four hour drives to Ottawa,
• for having a yoga birthday party – because you love yoga (picture here)!
• for taking kids yoga classes at studios whenever you could find them because your “yoga aunt” lived too far away to teach you regularly,

  

• for posing for countless yoga pictures,
• for winning an award for your grade eight graduation and before your name was announced everyone knew it was you because they called you the girl who brings a smoothie to school every morning (something you got from a girls yoga book.).
• for being the youngest person to take my kids yoga teacher training (14 years old).  You took it, as you said,”because I like yoga and it may help me connect better with the kids I babysit.”

Thanks to everyone who was at the kids yoga teacher training in Pickering!  It was a wonderful course and everyone had so much to offer.  Including the 14 year old!

For anyone out there who wants to bring yoga to kids – I’ve seen how much it works, not only with Diana, but with so many of the beautiful kids I’ve taught over the years who are now becoming teenagers and adults!  Even a little yoga on a walk or in your living room can plant the seeds for a yogic lifestyle and attitude.

Who else has seen the long-term benefits of yoga on children they know?  Please share your stories in the comments.