Aren't we all really just kids at heart? |Walking On Sunshine @ Surya Yoga

Q & A with Susan Leow

(1)

How did you start your yoga kids journey?

After stepping onto a yoga mat for the first time, I fell in love with yoga immediately. I continued practicing yoga regularly, my body became more flexible and I feel more relaxed even in the midst of a stress stricken environment.

My boy is a very shy and quiet and I always received feedback from his preschool teacher to encourage him to speak out more. I started to teach my son yoga at home. I noticed that after a year of practicing, he is more open and able to socialize with others better.

When my son was 7 year old, he had amblyopia, also known as lazy eye problem (Amblyopia is poor vision in an eye that did not develop normally during early childhood). To correct amblyopia, the affected eye must first be encouraged to work in order to allow for the opportunity for clear vision to develop. Besides eye patching for 2 hours per day, I trained him with eye yoga exercise on a daily basis. His lazy eye problem had healed only within 6 months! The doctor said it would normally take more than a year to recover.

Personally I find so much benefits from teaching yoga to my own son. I hope to share yoga with other children as well. Our children live in such a hurry with busy parents, school pressures, ipads and competitive sports. We usually don't think of these influences as stressful for our kids, but often they are. Yoga can help counter these pressures. When children learn techniques for self-health, relaxation, and inner fulfillment, they can navigate life's challenges with a little more ease. I feel that yoga is a great gift for our children.

As a kid's yoga teacher, I get the chance to explore artistic, creative ways of sharing the practice and its benefits every week.

(2)

Tell us more about the "I love Earth" concept you've

chosen for the yoga kids workshop this year.

This year theme is “I love Earth” Yoga kids workshop. I love nature and love the greenery around me which leaves me invigorated. Global warming is the greatest challenge facing our planet. Environment awareness is therefore something that is becoming increasingly important, especially for our next generation. I hope this yoga kid’s workshop can be a great way to teach our children about being eco friendly in a fun and encouraging way through yoga.

(3)

What was last year’s theme?

The theme for last year workshop is “Yoga and Healthy Food”.

(4)

What kind of other topics do you teach

normally in a yoga kids class at Surya Yoga?

I will plan for different topics for my yoga kids class every week to keep things exciting and interesting. I like to combine yoga movement with story telling. Combining movements with stories actively engages children, immersing them in the story in a more meaningful way. Their imagination will be stimulated and enriched. Topics I have used to teach my yoga kids class include a visit to the zoo, jungle adventures, sport day, rock and roll party and a whole lot more!

(5)

How was your first experience teaching a yoga kids class?

At first, truth be told, it was rather challenging with my very first effort in handling a yoga kids class, especially when it came to hyperactive kids. I did some research and learned how to handle situations involving this specific issue. I set ground rules and constantly remain firm with them. I believe that every kid should find balance in life. Hyperactive kids need to learn how to enjoy being calm and at peace, while the more shy and quiet types need to learn how to socialize with others and bring them out of their shell so to speak.

Overall, I find teaching kids yoga completely fun. It actually builds up my own character as well! I love kids, and I feel honored that I've been given the opportunity to build them up in my own humble way, even though it's just for an hour a week. I find myself growing alongside them. Aren't we all really just kids at heart?