By Kathryn Boland, Flow and Grow Kids Yoga Blog Manager and 95-hour Training Graduate
It’s finally here — the Flow and Grow Kids Yoga’s Summer 2021 95-hour Training has started! The seven-person cohort first met on Tuesday, June 22nd. They’re currently studying the first module in the full training, the 18-hour Foundations of Kids Yoga course. It’s a diverse and dynamic group, explains Lead Teacher Trainer Lara Hocheiser (Lara is also the Founder/Owner of Flow and Grow Kids Yoga more broadly).
Some are yoga instructors, some are practitioners, and one trainee is newer to the practice but “knows that this is what [her students] need,” Lara shares. Four trainees are middle school or high school educators — notable because many Flow and Grow trainees who are educators work in (or are interested in working in) early childhood, Lara notes.
One cohort member worked in education for many years but had to leave the field for her own self-care. She now wants to get back to it through kids yoga and mindfulness, Lara explains. Another trainee is from Hong Kong but lives in the Netherlands. She was working in hospitality when COVID hit, and then had to shift to babysitting when (sadly) her restaurant shut down. She’s wanted to incorporate kids yoga into her childcare work. Both of those cohort members reached out to Lara about training with her after hearing her on Jessica Mougis’s The Kids Yoga Podcast — and they’re now doing just that!
All in all, the cohort is so excited to learn and positively impact their communities. They’re enjoying the material and “getting to know each other as a cohort, [and] our conversations are flowing so nicely” Lara says. COVID really shifted how teachers saw their kids’ needs,” she explains, “we’re seeing that they need to be supported because they’re in such a precarious position right now.”
Can kids yoga and mindfulness provide that support? Lara fully believes that it can. More from her:
“Because childhood is a special time and each stage is unique, each child having unique abilities, needs, and strengths, we do things a little bit differently. Creating a harmonious, beautiful experience where children learn to turn inward, quiet down, and express themselves is key. Infusing classes with themes of yoga philosophy, which includes kindness, how and when to tell the truth, cleanliness, issues of social justice and a lot more which we learn through discussion, crafts, and play. The skill set is absolutely life-changing. The relationships are heart centered and help create the feeling of unity which is the goal of yoga. That is why I do kids yoga and mindfulness.”
You can still be part of this cohort — catch up on past sessions by watching the replay! Or join us in the fall. You can also take just the Foundations of Kids Yoga course, any other course individually, or mix-and-match as serves your needs and interests — we’re here to help you on your unique journey. Questions? Email the Teacher Trainer Lara Hocheiser at lara@flowandgrowkidsyoga.com, or book a call with her here!
