Kids Yoga Versus Youth Sports
Written by A. Simon, March 2019, MN USA
©️Minnesota Kid’s Yoga Co., LLC - Blog
Yoga is a good thing to mix in with other youth sports…
Before you read too much into this blog post, I want to start off by saying I LOVE YOUTH SPORTS. As a person who coaches youth sports, and as a previous athlete myself, I loved the many wonderful life skills I learned while being part of various sports teams.
For instance, as an athlete myself, I learned that one cannot be the best at everything, which is so true as an adult as well. As an athlete, one learns to stand up for themself, to take turns, to have sportsmanship, to have patience, to work hard at something, to practice something again and again, and finally, with enough determination and hard work, one can always better themselves.
However, being an athlete also taught me that frustration and stress often come along with competitive sports. I learned that expectations and pressure to perform can be put on you by parents, coaches, teammates, and especially yourself.
Therefore, the following is why I believe ALL KIDS NEED YOGA in their lives…
Yoga not only is a great hobby for adults, but it is beneficial for kids as well. The western world is finally catching on to the many health benefits of yoga, and that means parents are finally recognizing that kids need it too! In today’s world, mental health is an epidemic issue. Therefore, by providing outlets for our kids, we are helping them become happier, healthier, and much stronger future adults.
Yoga is a great activity to expose kids to at an early age. It is also a wonderful addition to any list of activities your child already does! In short, yoga helps kids focus on their own personal goals, achievements, health, body, thoughts, and breath. Yoga is all about focusing inward to find happiness, whereas all other sports focus outward. The following diagram better explains why I firmly believe all kids need a little yoga in their life!
With all of the mental health facts above, and with the rise of kids needing more ways of learning to cope with mental health, I think parents should look at yoga as a wonderful resource in helping their children overcome any obstacle life has to offer!
Also, if you haven’t heard news about concussions or head traumas from sport related injuries and their links to depression, you can read more here. Again, I think sports are wonderful for helping create strong, and successful adults. However, I also think everything in moderation. Therefore, all of the above facts help identify yet another reason to have your child try a gentler activity like yoga. So… sign your child up today! What do you have to lose?!