Happy New Year!

Ask a child what a New Year's resolution means to them...

"a promise you make to yourself"..."a goal you want to reach"..."something you want to do in the new year to make a better you"..."something you see in front of you that isn't really there...no, no. That's hallucination, not resolution!" (From the mouth of a 7 yr old...I'm not kidding.)
The Alluem Kid's New Year's Workshop was wonderful and packed with fun - the way yoga should be done for kids! We had many new faces in the studio ranging from ages 5-12 yrs! A new and improved Obstacle Course to work on balance, focus, flexibility, and obtaining a goal. A game of Crab Tag to build strength. A New Year's resolution art project to introduce the setting of intentions. And of course Savasana for restoration.
Each child was given a Happy New Year 2010 worksheet. Along the bottom was a poem (from http://www.freekidscrafts.com/):
"The New Year is a time for thought, about the things that we've been taught. So take your hands and make a vow, of things to do starting now!"
The kids traced their hands and wrote or drew their resolutions on their construction paper palms, gluing them to their worksheets. For some kids, thinking of what to write was easy, for others it was a challenge....just as it can be for adults. When setting a New Year's resolution, or what I'd rather prefer to call it, an intention...it's best to make it realistic. Start small. For kids....
-Spending more time with the family.
-Helping out around the house.
-Being kind to others, including siblings.
-Doing your best at school.
-Getting plenty of rest.
-Taking care of yourself.
Having your kids write down their intentions for the New Year is also very helpful. This way they can have something to refer back to and something to work towards. Kids like accomplishing goals just as much as adults! Making it fun is the key!
Happy 2010!!!!