6 Tips to Balance Practice and Parenting

yoga with kids

Hello babies goodbye practice?

What happens to your daily practice once you start a family? For those of us committed to our daily routine it’s important to find a way to balance our newfound responsibilities with keeping up our yoga practice otherwise frustration looms.

Having kids doesn’t necessarily mean losing your yoga practice especially if you’re prepared to make a few adjustments to your routine (you’ll have no choice anyway). Each stage of your child’s development has its own challenges and opportunities for example newborn babies wake up at night but they also nap during the day so that gives you extra time to relax and connect with yourself. Whatever the situation it’s important to find balance of your commitments and your own personal needs.

Here are 6 tips to help you cope.

1. Get up Early. Of course it depends how much sleep you’ve had but this really is the your best chance to get on the mat.

2. Play Yoga! Kids love Yoga postures they will likely climb all over you or copy your movements. As they get to crawling stage just roll out the mat and you’ll see our evolutionary heritage before your eyes from snake to quadruped to biped all of which are incorporated in a good asana sequence. With toddlers there’s plenty of fun as they ride on your back giving you impromptu adjustments and copying your move

yoga with kids

3. Make use of in-between moments. Use these moments when children are napping to sit, breathe and let go. It’s important to relieve any stress to help you serve your family.

4. Family is practice too. Cultivate patience, commitment and unconditional love to deal with the challenges of parenting.

5. Make the most of other family members being around to care for the little ones. Grandparents, Aunties and Uncles will be more than happy to get some time with their new baby relatives.

6. Don’t feel guilty about not practicing it’s not the end of the world and be prepared to stop half way through. My son would often wake up and come running over for a morning hug or lie together during savasana – a moment of bliss. Remember to not be too attached to your practice as it will only make you disappointed and angry which is detrimental to those around you.

Above all enjoy your time with the little ones as they bring so much love and help us grow up too! They will grow up quicker than you think so be present and enjoy every moment.

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