When I was pregnant with L, I loved attending prenatal yoga classes at a local yoga studio. It was such a positive experience not only to stretch and relax my growing body, but also to connect with other soon-to-be moms. The studio also offers a “Baby & Me” class for parents to attend with babies 6 weeks through 2 years of age. Similar to the other moms that I met in the prenatal classes, I was so excited to take L once she arrived. Well, life always has extra curveballs- factor in wanting to wait until her 8-week shots to take her anywhere indoors, then a global pandemic, and then nap times that didn’t coincide with the class times… I was FINALLY able to take her this past week for the first time (at 16 months!). It felt so good to be back in the studio, surrounded by positive energy.
The “Baby & Me” class was great! Parents were able to get in some gentle yoga while infusing baby and toddler songs, dance and games (oh, and snacks- lots of snacks). It really was a fun way to spend some unique time together with L. I loved introducing her to the benefits of yoga and a healthy body (even at her young age).
It’s so important to me to always encourage her to be around a supportive environment and this yoga class was the epitome of just that! Look to see if your local yoga studio offers this type of “Baby & Me” class and check one out!
After taking this class, it got me thinking about the power of conscious and controlled breathing. I know it can help adults in so many ways. If you stop, close your eyes and take a few slow, deep breaths in and out, you’ll likely feel less stressed and anxious and more relaxed and in control of your thoughts and emotions. This will therefore allow you to have more control over your actions. By breathing deeply, we allow our bodies enough oxygen to allow us to access the higher hubs of our brains that hold executive skills like impulse control, empathy, and flexibility.
As a teacher, I watched conscious and controlled breathing help numerous children work through different types of challenges (including transitions, disappointments, disagreements, and frustrations).
The school I taught at I followed Conscious Discipline. The creator, Dr. Becky Bailey, describes Conscious Discipline as “a comprehensive self regulation program that integrates social-emotional learning, culture and discipline. In general, it provides adults and children with the skills to be disciplined enough to set and achieve goals, conscious enough to know we are off track and connected enough to others so we are willing to persevere.”
A big part of practicing conscious discipline includes focusing on teaching kids different breathing methods. Through training for this program, I learned that as the adults in the school, it was so important that we mastered these techniques ourselves, ahead of time. We practiced and modeled the techniques when the kids were calm so that if they got “bug crazy mad,” they could understand what to do to help themselves calm down.
Check out some of the techniques from Conscious Discipline below. I found them all to be extremely powerful (for kids and adults, too!).
As a mom to a toddler, I want to start incorporating teaching L to take deep breaths when she’s upset or frustrated (or even if she just wants to feel relaxed- like before falling asleep). I know she is capable of taking breaths on demand because in swim class, she’s already learned to take a deep breath before going under water. She applies this whenever she is swimming (whether it’s at the beach, in a pool, or even the bathtub!). I plan on doing a lot of modeling for her. I think the earlier you start this the better! As she grows up, I’ll incorporate teaching her some of the more complex breathing strategies. Setting the foundation now is going to be powerful for the future. It will hopefully help her realize, from a very young age, that she is in control of her body.
One of the new courses we’re thinking about developing at ryco.io is a health and PE class for young learners. What do you think? Is it important to get 'em while they're young and explain how breathing techniques, food and exercise can affect their lives and behavior? Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Thanks for reading! I hope you continue to follow along to find (and share!) inspiration, information, and innovation! :-)
Information shared from Conscious Discipline by Dr. Becky Bailey
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