Mmmmmm, Chocolate! Oh so euphoric, bittersweet goodness that melts on the tongue.
Swiss Chard, my tender green friend. Proudly named the Valedictorian of Vegetables.
Valentine’s Day is the time of Romance and sometimes surprising coupling. Here’s a follow up on my last post about the Romance between the head and the heart and the coming together of the Olympics and Valentine’s Day as it occurred in my three classes last Friday. It shows that just because two things are great separately – it doesn’t mean they will make a good couple!
Teaching Yoga the Day of the Valentine’s Party
The first class at 9:15 am went off beautifully. We discussed everything in the last post and for thirty minutes we hit the Moguls, went down the luge, and did some ski jumping (like in the Wii Fit game – for those who have it).
We finished with figure skating. Warrior and Dancer gliding across the ice. Then struck a pose to mark the end of the routine, smiling for the judges and feeling the victory of completion.
However for next year’s Valentine’s Day and for every other holiday that involves sugary celebration I want to be honest about what happened. The next two classes had the excitement level of an Olympic athlete competing in front of their home country. An energy that gives an extra push.
There was a table FILLED with the EXTRA cupcakes, cookes, and chocolates.
There were kids still sporting a chin smeared with icing,
Usually quiet children were wrestling each other on the carpet and speed skating to the door to greet me.
The lesson plan may need changing!
We tried talking about the Olympics but somehow these 4 year old’s could not raise their hand or wait for their turn. Nor could they imagine a ski hill or focus on balancing. After about 10 minutes of doing poses that would set records for fastest times, I dropped the lesson plan and pulled out my trusty iPod.
For the next 15 minutes we did every dance, move, shake, and wiggle song in my collection. For the last 5 minutes, the kids actually relaxed and/or meditated with me. We sweated that cupcake party out of their systems.
Even though I love both Chocolate and Swiss Chard, it doesn’t mean I’d put them together. Same with Yoga and Sweets. Whenever you can, put the yoga first and keep the chocolate away from it.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my Fellow Yoga Lovers!
Anita – Yes, Halloween – another holiday where kids get all sugared up and come to yoga! Plus halloween they’ve sometimes got crazy costumes too. Oh the joys and challenges of teaching kids.
I had this same experience on Hallowen! Oh what craziness……….the only two who showed up that day include a girl whose attention I can only capture for breif moments on the very best of days – adding a heaping bowl of sugar on top of that……………it was not a pretty picture!