Wind-down Time

Our own Shayla Boger, Yoga for Tots teacher, graces us with a guest posting today. Her soothing tips for bedtime prep are ones ALL of us could use, but especially those sweet (and oh-so-energetic) kiddos! Be sure to check out one of Shayla's super fun tot yoga classes, too. Kids 18 months to 4 years old LOVE her bright spirit and loving energy. Find her at Blooma on Tuesdays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Sign up now.

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As we all know, putting our children to bed can be quite difficult at times. I struggle with this almost every night; especially with my 2.5 year old. She has recently graduated from potty training school and has also given up her nuk (which she's had since birth), so needless to say, we have lots of "stop and take a breath" moments. It's so funny—being a children's yoga instructor you'd think my children would be angelic and super in touch with their inner being. Well, that's not the case. But I do have to give them some credit: they're both sweet + pure, like all children. With all of this being said, I want to share some things we do around our house to settle down, whether for night time or nap.

1. We put rocks in our children tubby to help them calm down, and feel the natural sensation of the earth on their skin. Plus, they're fun to play with!

2. We spray our children’s beds with lavender water every night to help calm them. It's really easy to mix. For every cup of water add 2 drops of lavender; you can switch up the essential oil to fit your preference. You can find essential oils at Blooma. (They should be arriving in about a week!)

3. We work on exercising our bodies and minds to enter a quite space which allows us to prepare for sleep. Either lay in bed or sit up straight with eyes closed. From this position we fill our tummies with air and blow out through our mouths. Repeat as often as needed.

4. One other relaxing thing we do with our children is rub their feet with massage oil. I also do this at the end of my yoga class, you would be blown away at the response I get. It's amazing!

Here are some books and oils I love and incorporate in my classes, and with my children at home:
• Massage oil
• Lavender oil

Books:
• Moody Cow Meditates (Hardcover), by Kerry Lee MacLea
• Peaceful Piggy Yoga (Library Binding), by Kerry Lee Maclean
• I Can Be: A Child's Whimsical Introduction to Yoga (Paperback), by Christine M. Sumner
• A Tree Is Nice, by Janice May Udry and Marc Simon

You can visit my blog, LiveSavvy, to order the books directly. I hope you enjoy this information!

Om shanti,
Shayla