Homework blues

Homework and Yoga
One of the most stressful times in my household is Sunday night. A time when the last bits and pieces of my primary school age children’s homework gets finished off.
If we were Super Organised we would be doing a little bit each night, but sometimes the spontaneity of life means that doesn’t happen!
It makes for very stressful Sunday nights, a time where we should be peaceful and recharging for the week ahead.
With this in mind and knowing that yet again on Sunday there will be outstanding homework, I devised a mini yoga session for my kids….. and me, to beat the stress (after all the stress is mostly mine and rubs off on them I know)!and approach with a positive attitude and light, happy heart.
The plan was to do a few Asanas before, some in the middle (after 30 mins) and some at the end.
Here is my stress free kids homework session and the kids reactions.
1) A good body shake, loosen everything, get all your wiggles out of you so you can sit still (result- lots of giggling) big contrast to the grumpy faces they have when they normally sit down to finish homework!
2) Padangusthasana for 5 breaths
3) Utthita Trikonasana for 5 breaths
4) Utthita Hasta Padangusthasana A,B,C – lots of falling around- more laughter!
With the mood lightened we take 5 deep breaths in Tadasana and take a seat to start work.
After a much more productive & chilled out 30 mins of homework…….
5) have a big stretch from sitting down on a chair. Paschimottanasanna ABC
6) Purvottanasana, then glass of water, visit the bathroom and push on into the last bit of homework.
Everyone’s Sprits are lifted, the kids are excited to see what Asanas they will do at the end so perhaps work more quickly than normal! What a blessing!
After 20 minutes we have finished in a much shorter time than normal!
We get up and stretch, rotate arms like big windmills forwards and backwards, move our necks side to side
7) shoulder stand and Halasana – so easy for my stretchy kids. They think their voices sound funny when they are curled in Plough pose!
8) Headstand! How comes they can do it first time and it took me 2 weeks!
I can’t remember a homework session that ended happy! Sunday nights will never be the same again!
Charlotte
Sent from my iPhone