Interesting fact:
10 years ago when we started running the Zenergy Kids Yoga Teacher Training courses, I googled the health statistics of kids and teens in Australia.
And do you know what the Top 3 Major Health Issues were back then?
#1 Asthma
#2 Obesity
#3 Eating Disorders
At the time, we talked about the importance of being able to help children with the physical benefits that yoga provides, you know, doing ‘real yoga,’ as opposed to playing lots of games with a few yoga moves thrown in.
The Zenergy Training courses took participants through a magical journey in how to teach yoga in way that is educational, impactful and fun.
(Cause if it’s not fun, they are not engaged.)
We turned yoga classes into magical events, taking kids on imaginary journeys, all the while taking them through an age appropriate asana sequence.
->Kids doing Real Yoga
The difference?
The children & teens experienced the same benefits, we get in our adult classes.
-Backs got stronger, spines straightened, growing pains went away, knees fixed up, menstrual issues cleared up – one teen girl got rid of an ovarian cyst in 3 weeks, bed wetting stopped, skin got better, asthma went away, coughs, colds and sore throats got better quickly.
And the best bit was that kids and teens started to take control of their own health and healing.
But that was 10 years ago.
And since then, a lot has changed and happened in the world and in the world of kids and teens.
A few years ago, we started to notice the mental and emotional wellbeing of kids and teens slide. Then covid hit, and that slide turned into an avalanche.
What began as a bit of stress, turned into long term anxiety & depression.
The rates of self-harming, eating disorders and suicide have increased year after year.
Why I bring this up …. is that this week, whilst preparing a webinar on the Benefits of Kids Yoga for a few hundred fitness professionals (gulp), I re-googled those statistics, – the ones on the latest health statistics for kids and teens,
…and you know what they said?
The Top 3 Chronic Illnesses for Kids Today are:
#1 Asthma
#2 Anxiety
#3 Depression
See what I mean?
How mental health issues are now at the top of the list for health issues facing kids today.
Now I don’t tell you this to depress you, but it’s important to know that we have seen a shift in the needs of kids and teens; from solely physical needs to a greater need for tools to help with their mental and emotional stability.
Where do you find the best tools ?
YOGA!
For 5,000 years, yoga has documented not only how the mind and body works, but also provides the best tools to work with the body, mind & emotions.
What the statistics tell us, is that there is a real need for these tools to get into the classrooms, schools, day-care centres, homes and private one on one sessions for children & teens.
Only then will we see a change.
But that change will only happen if those yoga classes for kids incorporate ‘real yoga tools’.
The time has passed for game-based classes.
To make a difference for all the kids suffering from anxiety or mental health issues now and into the future, kids yoga teachers must be able to deliver quality classes that target their physical, mental and emotional needs.
That’s what we do at Zenergy Yoga.
It’s what sets us apart from other yoga classes and schools, and what has our graduates teach successful classes from their very first class.
If you want to help kids to create strong stabile mental and emotional foundations, come and join us at an upcoming Zenergy Kids Yoga Certification Course.
To learn when the next in person courses are coming up, click here: In person Kids Yoga Training Course
Or join the Online courses, anytime by clicking here: Online Kids Yoga Training Course
Cannot wait to see you there,
Loraine x
