Pleasing All of the ‘Junior Yogis’ All of the Time!

Veronica Greene founded Little Greene YogaTM and offers a Certified Children’s Teacher Training package.

As Abraham Lincoln said “You can please some of the people some of the time, all of the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time but you can never please all of the people all of the time! 

More simply put, by the British – “You can’t be everybody’s Darling!”

Or can you?

Anyone who teaches yoga knows that some nights a class just doesn’t go to plan no matter how prepared you thought you were. You might go home and beat yourself up but usually one bad class doesn’t define you! Your students return knowing it was an off night and more importantly they know the benefits of yoga as that’s what brought them there in the first place.

But what motivates children?

In my experience, as a mother, if your child decides they don’t like something they are so vocal that you eventually agree to them discontinuing, the activity in question, even though you know it’s good for them.

Perhaps I’m a pushover mum!

So what keeps them coming back even after the off days?

I decided to ask my younger students some questions to find out exactly why they return, some for over 10 years! Honestly, I was just a little nervous as children can be so direct………

Why do you come to yoga?

“It’s fun and helps with my growing pains.”

“I like it.”

“I don’t know.”

Are there days you think, “I don’t want to go back?” If so, why do you feel that way and what makes you return?

“No! Its fun and I like seeing my friends there.”

“Yes, when I get into trouble! I know it’s all forgotten and I possibly did something naughty.”

“Yes, especially when it’s one of the days where you work us really hard. I know the following week will be fun and I don’t want to miss it.”

Would you miss it if you stopped?

“YES!” “YES!” “YES!”

How long do you think you will keep doing yoga?

“I’ll keep doing yoga all my life.”

“Forever! Just not when I’m a grandma.”

“A few years, maybe until I’m a grown up.”

Do you know why yoga is good for you?

“Yes, I sit crouched in a bad way and yoga corrects it.”

“It’s good because it stretches my muscles.”

“It helps with my breathing”

Is this one of the reasons you keep going?

“Yes!” “No!”

Would you like to teach yoga one day?

“No. I don’t want to be a teacher to kids as they can be noisy and hard to calm down.”

“Can I? Now?”

“I would but I do already have plans for what I want to be when I grow up. I would teach yoga if I couldn’t do that though!”

Is Yoga fun? WHY?

“Yes!” “Yes!” “Yes!”

“I feel part of a club.”

“I love the games and some of them are really hard!”

“You get to know each other and share your news!”

I packed up my belongings, feeling quite pleased with myself – after all I’ve clearly developed a method that works. I then hear a little voice say, “You didn’t ask me why I come to yoga!”

“Go on then! Why do you come to Yoga?”

“Because my Mum makes me!”

I smiled! “Sometimes Mums just know best!” - After all she is my youngest, her sister is now doing Teen Yoga and quite frankly I am very highly trained! More importantly I’m not that much of a pushover mum!