From the monthly archives:

January 2009

Lower Kid’s Anxiety with Low Clutter

January 28, 2009

When we moved last month and I cleaned out my daughter’s room, I was struck with the thought that this looked a lot like my mother’s house. My mother was a schizophrenic. The strangeness of the way my daughter disassembles thing, stuffs shoes into drawers, a random chatter of constant mess and disorganization disturbed me. [...]

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Yoga for fourth and fifth grade boys

January 27, 2009

Well! I started my after school yoga class at Creekside Elementary again today. It was great and amazing to see all boys! One boy has been with me for three years and he is always eager to go into headstand or something fancy. He can’t wait through the basic warm up poses, and that’s pretty [...]

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Sydney’s ADD tips

January 27, 2009

OK. It’s official. Me and my daughter are ADD! Wow, a lifetime of me doing yoga and meditation to get my mind focused! It all makes sense. I can remember very well in second grade, just living in a dream world of fantasy. Teacher’s thought there was something wrong with me and put me in [...]

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Children’s Yoga article in the Denver Post, featuring Storytime Yoga!

January 19, 2009

Good morning on the day before Obama takes office! What an historic day! Today’s Denver Post features an article on children’s yoga in is fitness section. Storytime Yoga is featured! Read the article at http://www.denverpost.com/lifestyles/ci_11487861   I’m recovering after an intense weekend with Senior Anusara instructor Jeanie Manchester! Whew! It’s amazing, but I’m sure glad [...]

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Yoga is for Everybody and I Mean EVERYBODY

January 16, 2009

One of the greatest joys of my work is to serve people in under-served communities. Through Denver’s Community Resources Center, I visit several Denver public schools with diverse populations teaching yoga during family health nights.  I had to spend an hour and 15 minutes in gridlock, rush-hour traffic from Boulder to Denver last night, but [...]

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The Value of a Dumb Movie and Boyhood Rites of Passage

January 15, 2009

The other night I went to see a movie with my kids. I really wanted to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, but my kids won out and we went to see Jim Carrey’s Yes Man instead.  It was crass, silly, and sort of entertaining. I admit I did laugh. Jim Carrey doesn’t match [...]

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Calming Children’s Anxiety with Stories and Yoga

January 14, 2009

When I talk with my daughter, a lot of her anxieties come out: kids are staring at her, she doesn’t understand what’s going on in class; she feels left out. I just hold her and let her express her feelings. Then I remind her that those worries are just thoughts, and that we can come [...]

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Children’s Yoga Teachers Around the World!

January 13, 2009

On Saturday I had the wonderful invitation of attending the Wellness Initiative’s tea for its teachers at the beautiful Dashanbe Tea House in Boulder. Debbie Huttner, dear friend, mother and founder of the Wellness Initiative, started the program to bring yoga and nutrition programs to children in schools. Her director, Mara Rose, is amazing, as [...]

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Worry Dolls, Power Houses and Om for Children’s Anxiety

January 10, 2009

    A few weeks ago I mentioned that my 8-year-old daughter was having a lot of anxiety. Naturally I had to look to myself for my own anxiety that was churning around that I was unaware of. One thing I always says it that if your child has anxiety, look to the parent! But [...]

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Family Meals and Storytelling

January 7, 2009

There is something so simple and basic about a family meal. Indeed, so few families, American at least, do not sit down together at a family meal. Being a single mom, this is not always possible, but there is a special magical connection when you take the time to do it.  Yesterday the kids and [...]

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Children’s Vegetarianism, Technology and the Need for Exercise

January 6, 2009

I picked up some veggie chicken burgers and my son and daughter went nuts over them. “It’s easy to be a vegetarian with these!” my son exclaimed. I was happy they liked it. We have slowly adjusted our menu to be veggie and healthy. I have to admit that being a single mom can make [...]

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Non-Violence begins with the food we eat

January 3, 2009

Well! I’m back in Colorado after driving 85 MPH from Salina, Kansas home to Boulder! I nearly cried when I saw the mountains! It’s good to be home! My son had requested that we become vegetarian when we get home. He’s starting to get a bit chubby, I noticed. That pre-pubescent spread. I was amazed [...]

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OKC Memorial

January 1, 2009

We drove to Oklahoma City and stopped at the Memorial. It was quite amazing. I got all choked up reading the inscription on the front to my kids, who I had to pull away from their PSP and DS to listen. It’s quite beautiful and haunting to witness; a testament to violence.  Stopping for lunch [...]

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