Children also need some yoga

Children live in a busy world with busy parents, school pressures, incessant lessons, video games, malls and competitive sports. Parents usually don't think of these as stressful for kids, but often they are.

Yoga can help counter the stress and help them navigate life’s challenges with ease.

Yoga helps in self-awareness, bolstering self-esteem and helping children gain control over their bodies and minds. It also teaches self-discipline.

As part of the yoga practice, kids need to slow down, hold certain postures, breathe or think in a certain way. Thus, they can learn ways to relax and control stress and fear in their lives. A child worried about a test might use meditation or breathing techniques to calm down. Here’s a posture recommended for children.

Tree pose: Helps the mind to focus

• Stand with feet together and arms by your side.
• Bend the right leg at the knee, raise the right thigh and bring the sole of the right foot high up the inside of the right thigh.
• Balancing on the left foot, raise both arms over the head. Keeping the elbows unbent, join the palms together
• Hold the posture while breathing gently through the nostrils for about 10-15 complete cycles of breath.
• Return to starting posture and repeat with the other leg.