Yoga is Great for Children

Children deal with many distractions, temptations, overstimulation and peer pressure. Schools are challenged to do more with less and be creative in how they reach even the most isolated child.

Yoga is a low-cost, helpful tool that can have a positive impact on children. Introducing children to yoga at an early age can help them learn healthy lifestyle habits and set the foundation for a fit future.

Yoga helps kids to:
Develop body awareness
Learn how to use their bodies in a healthy way
Manage stress through breathing, awareness, meditation and healthy movement
Build concentration
Increase their confidence and positive self-image
Feel part of a healthy, non-competitive group
Have an alternative to tuning out through constant attachment to electronic devices

In a school setting, yoga can also benefit teachers by:
Giving them an alternate way to handle challenges in the classroom
Giving them a healthy activity to integrate with lesson plans
Give them a way to blend exercise into their classes

There are lots of tools you can use to teach yoga to children. The young ones like games, doing poses from yoga books for children and singing songs with big, expressive movements. Older children love to create their own poses, be challenged by balancing and learn about the muscles and other aspects of anatomy. 

Car Travel Tips

Dads Teaching Their Boys

Before the industrial revolution, it was common for men to spend much of their day in the company of their sons—either on the family farm or in the family business. In those settings, dads could teach their sons practical lessons as well as the lessons of leadership, protection, and provision expected of manhood.

Today, work, school, extracurricular activities, and even church take fathers and sons in separate directions. Dads, therefore, have to be intentional about creating opportunities to teach their sons—to model manhood, to teach industry and resourcefulness. One way to do that is to work through a list of things that fathers can teach sons.

You can work through such a list in one of two ways: either (1) by setting aside a regular father/son time to take on one item at a time (one dad started this routine and calls it "Manhood Mondays") or by (2) just taking the time to instruct your son anytime you're about to do one of these tasks yourself. It's not efficient, but the investment of your time can be priceless. Whether you do it proactively, reactively, or both, what matters most is taking the time to build a legacy with your son(s).


Don't freak out by what is or isn't on the list here. These are meant to be examples of what engagement looks like, but you can adapt this or just see it as a headstart for your own list. You'll notice that many of the skills listed here can be bypassed by modern technology in most industrially-advanced countries. Making the effort to teach these, however, will give you valuable time with your son(s) and will give you a practical opportunity to present principles of leading, protecting and providing, all the while building confidence in their abilities as emerging men.

1. Speak in public—there's power in the spoken word.

2. Read good books—leaders are readers.

3. Play an instrument—especially because of the discipline required.

4. Play individual, two-person, and team sports.

5. Build a fire.

6. Camp out—pitch the tent, cook stuff over the fire, the whole thing.

7. Carve a turkey.

8. Light a grill.

9. Jump start a car.

10. Tie a knot—such as a bowline, square knot, taut-line, and figure eight, among others.

11. Use basic tools—hammer, saw, wrench, screwdriver.

12. Paint a room—trim and all.

13. Handle a gun and a knife—for safety, protection, sport, and hunting.

14. Skin an animal.

15. Be a gentleman—open doors, stand when a woman approaches at dinner, etc.

16. Grow stuff—and not just a Chia pet.

17. Iron a shirt—and do laundry and other work around the house in a manly way.

18. Manage money—keep a balanced checkbook, show generosity, and learn basic saving and investing.

19. Shake a hand—strong shake (save the tuna for dinner) and look 'em in the eye.

20. Give a man hug—skip the side hug, and go arms spread eagle with bold back slaps.

21. Keep vows.

22. Dress like a gentleman—coordinate pants, shirts, jackets, ties, belts, socks, etc., appropriately to the occasion.

23. Tip—for example at least 15% for a waiter, $1 for a checked coat, $1 per
bag for curbside check in at airport, etc.

24. Serve others—shovel walks, help with heavy loads, etc.

25. Handle loss—sports and games in preparation for loss in work and relationships.

Sleep and Your Preschooler

Preschoolers need about 11 to 12 hours of sleep each day, which can include a nap. There's wiggle room about exact sleep times — the most important thing is to help kids develop good, consistent habits for getting to sleep.

Benefits of a Bedtime Routine

• A bedtime routine is a great way to help your preschooler get enough sleep. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating one:
• Include a winding-down period during the half hour before bedtime.
• Stick to a bedtime, alerting your child both half an hour and 10 minutes beforehand.
• Keep consistent playtimes and mealtimes.
• Avoid stimulants, such as caffeine, near bedtime.
• Make the bedroom quiet, cozy, and perfect for sleeping.
• Use the bed only for sleeping — not for playing or watching TV.
• Limit food and drink before bedtime.
• Allow your child to choose which pajamas to wear, which stuffed animal to take to bed, etc.
• Consider playing soft, soothing music.
• Tuck your child into bed snugly for a feeling of security.

Interested in learning more about this topic? Get information on naps and sleeping problems here.

Brush-Up on Our Pre-Ones Program!

Open House

At Mary Sears Children's Academy in Orland Park, we are having an Open House on Sunday, September 25th from 9am - 12pm. We hope that we will see you all there! 

Introducing Toddlers to Music

Music is a natural part of life for toddlers. They might sing to their stuffed animals, tap their feet to the rhythm of nursery rhymes, and enjoy the sound of their parents singing to them — even if mom and dad can't quite carry a tune.

But this early introduction to music does more than entertain. It can kick-start learning, serve as an important cue in a child's routine, and offer lifelong benefits.

Music contributes to what experts call "a rich sensory environment." This simply means exposing kids to a wide variety of tastes, smells, textures, colors, and sounds — experiences that can create more pathways between the cells in their brains.

These neural connections will help kids in almost every area of school, including reading and math. Just listening to music can make these connections, but the biggest impact comes if kids actively participate in musical activities.

Of course there's another reason to introduce music into your toddler's world: It's enjoyable for both of you. That will come as no surprise to parents who sing songs with their child, sway and twirl together to favorite music, or listen to lullabies as they rock their child to sleep.


Want to learn a little bit more about the benefits of music? Click here!