Are you finding your child's attention wondering off every 5 seconds? You are not alone! It is a strange time when parents are taking the place as the school teacher (for work they don't ever understand for some things) and the home environment where they are used to just playing and relaxing is now one where they have to focus for much longer than usual. When children go to school there are rules in place, expectations and a certain way of doing things. They know when they go they sit at their desk and it is time to work. The teacher is there to give their full attention to this learning experience, they are not trying to do another full time job, run around after a toddler or clean the house. It is completely different. So it is no wonder children are struggling to give school work the same focus. 

This is a fun exercise for focus and gets both sides of the brain working. It is a great one to do before homework or when you need to concentrate on something.
Start by winking your left eye while you click your fingers on your right hand. Now wink your right eye while clicking your fingers on your left hand. Continue to switch back and forth at least ten times.

Did you ever play this as a child? 
This is such a goofy game but it can really help us to focus. All you need is a teaspoon! See if you can balance the teaspoon on your nose. You could put it length ways on the bridge of your nose or you could try placing it vertically on the tip of your nose. Just find what works for you and how long you can balance it for. This takes focus, perseverance, balance, and a lot of giggles. 

Toe-ga is a great way to calm down while having to use focus and concentration. Our toes are crammed in shoes a lot of the day (or at least before lockdown, in fairness my toes are mainly in slippers now) and this is a great way to stretch them out and release any tension. 
All you need is some pom poms and a pot (cake tin, mixing bowl etc). Pour the pom poms into the middle and then everyone uses their feet to pick up the individual pom poms and place them into the pot/ bowl. I like to use different sizes to change things up. This is a great way to work those toe muscles in a gentle and fun way. It is simple, fun, and easy to clean up!

Yoga has an amazing range of benefits including helping children to focus. A great tool to use throughout the day in small 5-15 minutes breaks. Yoga is a great way to help children focus as we are marrying our breath with movement. This doesn't have to be done in the same way as an adults class would go although it can be lovely for your little ones to join in if you have your own practice, but it can be more fun and playful. You can start with more energy such as games and fast movement and then wind it down with some relaxation and breathing. For more ideas check out my Book - Christmas yoga for children and their adult! This book is full of ideas, not just for Christmas and is free on kindle with membership! 

Here is a short sequence to get you started! Take five to seven deep breaths in each pose. 

Five great ways to get a little mini break from work and chores and help children to focus. Please share this with other parents who's children may benefit from these small practices. It can make a big difference! 

Would you like to see more posts like this one? Let me know what you enjoyed about it and what you will be trying!

As a single mum, during a pandemic with no chance of lining up dates why not make the day a celebration of all the love we have at home. There is no better way to do this than spending quality time together, having fun! This is a great game because its one that you can play anytime. Love hearts are not just for valentines!

All you will need is some red card cut into love hearts (and in fairness you could use any colour) and a pen.
On each love heart, write down a different yoga pose.

• Boat pose
• Sleepy pose
• Mountain pose
• Gate pose
• Plank pose
• Warrior 1
• Warrior 2
• Aeroplane pose
• Froggy pose
• Star pose
• Tree pose
• Forward fold
• Wide legged forward fold
• Rabbit pose
• Childs pose

You may also like to add some high energy and exercise based ones in there such as

• 5 jumping Jacks​
• 3 Squat jumps
• Touch your toes
• Hop on one leg
• Run on the spot

Put on your kids favourite music. Place the hearts on the ground with space between them. When the music is playing, everyone dances and moves around the room. When the music stops, everyone must stand on a heart. Stand statue still for three breaths. Together you look at what you are each standing on and complete the action. Yoga poses can be held until the music plays again.

To make it more interesting you could remove the hearts as you go on, maybe at random or ones that have been played. you decide! Have fun!

Let me know if you'll be trying this at home! This is such a fun way to get the family doing yoga together!

What are your plans for valentines day? Who will you be spending it with?

15 journaling prompts for the new year. Feel free to share with someone who would find these helpful 😍

🎉If unlimited money was available to me, how would I spend my time?

🎉I'm what ways can I do that now?

🎉 My dream day would like....

🎉If I could accomplish anything within the next 12 months it would be.......

🎉One way I would like to feel is....

🎉How can I feel like that now? What steps can I take?

🎉What can I forgive myself for that I am still holding on to?

🎉Where can I show myself more love?

🎉One thing I would love to be told is......

🎉What does a conversation with myself look like? Am I kind? Do I show myself compassion?

🎉Where do I see myself in 6 months time?

🎉What can I do to declutter physically or emotionally to find more simplicity?

🎉Who are 3 people I admire? Why?

🎉What would make me happy right now?

🎉What is something or some words that you would like to share with others?


​Are you happy to welcome in 2021? Share some of your hopes and manifestations for the new year.

When the root chakra is out of balance you may feel out of sorts, unable to ground, scattered, anxious, worried that you're going to lose everything, feeling like your basic needs are not being met, unmotivated, feeling the need to hoard everything or feeling disconnected.

When the root chakra is in balance you may feel grounded, secure, safe, at home in your own body, strong, rooted in the present moment, connected with nature, calm and centered.

There are many ways we can help to achieve balance in this chakra. Connecting with nature, meditation, mindful walking, eating root vegetables and a healthy diet, yoga, journaling and using affirmations. Affirmations being the focus of this post.

When using affirmations it is important to notice how they make you feel. If it feels wrong and causes you to feel discomfort saying it, notice that. Maybe explore why that is but change the wording until you can feel good saying it. The affirmation is to help empower you to take control of your thinking mind. To rewrite any negative self talk and replace them with kindness and lobe for yourself. This cant be done however if you are struggling with the affirmation, for instance if it feels like a lie. Take the affirmation I am safe for example. If you were to repeat this over and over when you were actually in a very unsafe situation, your brain and body would be fighting against you saying it. Where as if you were safe but finding it hard to calm yourself, the affirmation I am safe could be very grounding. So play around with the wording, make it your own. Memorise it, repeat it, don't just read it. I am safe could turn into may I be safe, I am safe in this moment, Safety is my birth right. This goes for any affirmation, make them your own.
​Choose one or two to work with for the next week. Write them down, set them as reminders in your phone and say them in front of the mirror everyday. The more you hear it, see it and feel it, the more it will be.

Feel free to use these, change them up or create your own.

• I am safe ​
• I am grounded
• I am secure
• I have everything I need
• I practice gratitude for all that I have
• I feel rooted in the earths energy
• I choose to nourish my body
• I am at home with myself
• Home is where I make it
• I am supported
• I choose to be present in this moment
• I belong

Watch out for my next post which I will link here when posted. Sign up to my email list so you dont miss the chakra healing affirmation series!

​Want to dive deeper and learn more about the chakras, affirmations and more ways we can work with them? Join my latest program THE CHAKRA HEALING PROGRAM

​Comment below with your favourite way to ground and centre yourself.

​

Sometimes the simplest games are the best one! This game can be done inside or outside, on yoga mats or around your space. I like to play this game by starting in a circle or with partners facing each other. You can include some yoga poses, some funny dances, jumping over things and so much more. Be sure to go first so that you can show them a few possibilities and then let everyone have a turn to be the leader. As it is halloween this week you could fit in some halloween themed poses such as

Zombie Walk (get creative)
Monster Breath (lions breath)
Witch on a broom (warrior 2)
Pumpkin (childs pose)
Spooky tree (tree pose)
creaky gate (gate pose)
flying witch (chair pose)
Vampire (mountain pose)
Bat (boat pose)

A nice twist on the classic. Yogi says an instruction and then the child or group do as Yogi says. If the instruction is given without ‘Yogi says’ at the beginning the children should not do the task. If they do, they must stand in mountain pose for three breaths before joining back in.

Here are some suggestions for Yogi Says…..
• Stand in tree pose
• Sit on the floor
• Do 5 jumping jacks
• Run on the spot
• Practice plank pose
• Show me a strong warrior pose
• Touch your toes
• Put your hands on your head
• Do a funny dance
• Stand on one leg
• Hop
• Act like a froggy

You could also add some of the halloween themed poses mentioned previously.
​
You can practice some yoga poses that you have already worked with as well as new ones if you can demonstrate them first. By adding in some other fun things as well as just yoga poses, it keeps it fun and exciting as they really do not know what is coming next. You can also let the children have a turn at being yogi.

One person stands at one edge of the room, they are ‘it’, while the rest of the group/family starts at the opposite wall standing on one leg in the tree pose. If you are playing this game in a bigger space, just make a line to define the starting and finishing points. The person who is ‘it’ turns their back to the group and counts aloud “1, 2, 3 spooky yoga trees” and then quickly turns back to look at the group. When ‘it’ is not watching, the other children can move forward, but when ‘it’ turns around they must stand on one leg in the tree pose. If ‘it’ sees you standing on two legs or moving forward, they can call on you to go back to the wall (or starting point). Whoever gently touches ‘it’ first, becomes the next ‘it’. I like to add some spooky music to this one.

​Intuition is something that we are born with, yet along the way we can lose connections with it. How many times have you thought to yourself - "I knew I should have done that" or "I knew that was a bad idea". 
Being connected to our intuition allows that inner voice to become more clear, we can start to trust it more and are better able to move forward and make better decisions. Here are a few more benefits of connecting with our intuition: 

Here are five ways that you can connect with your intuition starting today.

• Meditate. Meditation is a great tool because it helps with self awareness. As intuition is within us, it can be a great tool to slow down and listen. 
• Journal. Journaling is a great way to have a conversation with yourself. If a friend asked us what we think of a situation we are all too ready to chime in with what we think, and yet we don't do this for ourselves. Ask yourself the questions. Try to be a neutral observer and write without judgement. It can be surprising what comes up and can allow for alot to come up that needed to come up!
• Yoga. Yoga is a great way to practice using your intuition through movement (and stillness). It is a practice of listening to what your body wants and needs in the moment. 
• Dance. Much like above with the yoga, dance is a way we can creatively express ourselves. Can we get past feeling awkward and stiff and allow our body to move from a place of love and freedom? How does it feel to move? Can you enjoy creativity?
• Oracle cards. I often pair this with journaling as it can help bring out a lot of questions. I can ask them questions and they will show me an answer. Now this answer isn't as clear as yes or no but when I build a connection with the cards and with spirit, I always get the answers I seek. This is a big practice of intuition as sometimes your head tries to disagree and bring you back to what is comfortable and familiar. Your gut instinct though, that intuition is always right once you develop it properly and tune in.

What is your favorite way to check in with your intuition? Any methods here you would like to try? Any methods you love that I haven't mentioned? Let me know in the comments, I would love to hear from you.

This week I have been singing a lot of fun songs and practicing yoga and breath work with my toddler. Teaching little ones about their emotions is a powerful thing but we must also work to understand our own. Sometimes we try to resist a certain emotion, labeling it bad or negative when maybe we just need to sit with it. Maybe by sitting with it and allowing yourself to feel that emotion, it will pass when it is ready to pass or when you are ready to let it go.
There is much uncertainty at the moment, but then there always was. So what can we do? 

If you feel uncertain, unsafe, worried or just a little off balance - think of your feet. Feel your feet on the ground, even in your shoes. Bring your awareness to your surroundings, your energy, your breath. Stand in a tall mountain pose or sit upright on a chair with both feet on the ground. Repeat this affirmation "May I feel safe where I am right now. May I inhale peace. May I exhale stress and overwhelm" 

You can do this as many times as you need to throughout the day. It is a great way to start each morning. Please know that you can always reach out for support. Some feelings can feel 'a lot' and there is no where that states we have to do it alone. 
Yoga means union - it could mean the union of mind, body and breath but it can also mean the union of us all coming together in this human experience. We are all in this together.

So when ever your emotions are running wild, please just stop and think of your feet. 

The Importance of Self-Care
As parents, we take on a lot of responsibility for someone else’s needs and happiness. Sometimes we can neglect our own needs because we are so busy looking after our loved ones. Of course, taking care of them is great, and you should do it with love, but you are important too. Self-care should be made a priority so that you are in a good position to help others and you don’t end up burning out, feeling over worked, overwhelmed, and underappreciated. It can be helpful to schedule in time for self-care on your daily planner just as you would an important meeting or appointment. Taking some time for you can make all the difference. I’m sure you have heard the Cliché saying about filling your own cup first as you cannot pour from an empty cup. Cliché it may be, but it is so true.
We cannot teach what we haven’t learned. We can’t expect our children to grow up strong, happy, and carefree if we don’t model that behavior ourselves. Taking this time for you is not selfish. It will make you a better parent. It will allow you to show up at your best, less likely to snap at the smallest thing or to be too fatigued to listen whole heartedly. Taking care of yourself will allow you to recharge and feel balanced again.
What is something that you love doing? Maybe you haven’t done it for a while, maybe even not since having children. If you’re stuck for ideas give this next exercise a go. Have a pen and paper ready to jot down your ideas.

Sit in a cross-legged position on the floor (you can use a pillow or yoga block to lift the hips slightly) or sitting up tall on a chair with feet firmly on the ground. Allow your hands to rest naturally on your lap or palms open to the sky.
Take between 5 – 10 deep, slow breaths. Allow the mind to clear as you focus your attention on the breath. Any time your mind starts to wonder, bring it back to the breath. Close your eyes if it feels right to do so.
Once you are settled, think about when you were a child. What activities did you really love doing? How did they make you feel? Did you enjoy baking, painting, horse riding, dancing, singing, playing board games, getting out in nature? The sky is the limit here. Think of anything you can.
Once you feel inspired open your eyes and start to write down as many activities you can think of that you once enjoyed.
Now look at the list and see if anything listed would spark joy in your life now. 

I have new yoga classes starting next week (23rd September 2020) for parents wanting to connect with themselves and other parents and to move their body in a way that feels good. No need to worry about childcare or traveling as it is all from the comfort of your own home. Click here to book now. 

Check out my free 7 day self care challenge here. 

You may also be interested in
Self love, that inner critic and breaking out of comfort zones.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues in Ireland. Anxiety can feel like it is taking over everything. It can make our heart race, our thoughts run wild, our stomach sick and social situations exceedingly difficult. It can lead to panic attacks and feelings of unworthiness. The good news is that we can regain control. We can experience anxiety; we can feel it fully and then we can choose to let it go. Anxiety is a feeling and feelings are created with our thoughts. We can choose to change our thought patterns with practice. Children may be feeling more stressed, worried, and anxious with the challenges that 2020 is bringing us. Understandably. This is a strange time. If we can provide our children with tools to get through these challenging times, teach them to find their own calm within the chaos, they will be able to come back to their calm through anything. In this guide I have laid out a few simple ways we can help our children get back to the present moment and get back to their own true selves. 

Contents 
• Poses for anxiety
• Breathing techniques
• Aspirations
• Meditations 

Click here to download -> anxiety_yoga_toolkit.pdf

I am so happy to have received such positive feedback for this booklet. Please let me know if this has been any help to you. I would love to hear your reviews on it. 

Everyone on my mailing list received this booklet a week ago. If you want to grab your freebies and useful tips for yoga and mindfulness, please sign up to my mailing list. 
You may also be interested in these Free ABC yoga cards --> Click here.

How can Yoga help? 

​Yoga can help with anxiety as it really allows us to be in the present moment. By focusing on moving the body with the breath and how each pose feels we are staying in the moment and quietening busy minds. It can be challenging to go straight into a mediation so yoga can be a really good tool to prepare ourselves for stillness. Yoga can also help to release built up tension from our bodies and align us energetically.


Cat / Cow

Start in a tabletop position (knees below hips, wrists below shoulders). Inhale and drop the belly down towards the mat as you look forward. Exhale round your spine, arching your back like a spooky Halloween cat and relax your head, looking towards your belly button. Inhale, move through back to your cow pose, lifting your heart, dropping the belly. Exhale back to your cat. Move with the breath here, repeating at least three to five times.

Childs Pose

Start on all fours and then bring your hips back so that your arms are stretched out in front of you. Bring your forehead to rest on the mat or on a yoga block or bolster. Having the legs together will help to support your spine. This may not feel like a resting posture for everyone, so another option is to bring your big toes together and knees as wide as the mat and then fold forward, bringing the forehead towards the mat.
 
Forward Fold

Begin standing with your feet together or hip width apart. On an exhale, bend your knees and fold forward bringing your belly against your thighs. Bring your hands to the ground and let your head hang heavy. You may like to work on straightening the legs in time.  You can stay here for three to five breaths or for just one exhale as part of a flow.
 
Puppy Dog Pose

Begin on all fours, knees above hips. As you breath in walk your arms out in front of you and bring your chest towards the mat. You may like to have a yoga block underneath each forearm if that feels better. Rest your forehead on the mat keeping your legs exactly where they started. Breath here for three to five breaths.
 
Legs up the wall

This is a wonderful restorative pose that helps your body to relax and restore. Start by sitting sideways against a wall and then swing your legs around so that you are laying on your back with your legs up the wall. Doing it this way will help you to get your bottom as close to the wall as you can. Straighten your legs, resting your heels on the wall. Your arms can rest beside you or bring them to your belly. Anytime you need a break during this pose you can bring your legs into a butterfly position by bending your knees and bringing the soles of your feet together. The more you practice this pose the longer you will be able to stay in it for. Try staying in this pose for at least two minutes or longer if you feel you need to.


How is your child feeling about going back to school? Do they have at least one thing they are really looking forward to?  These poses can be used before school, after school or any time you and your child has time. You could practice them all or just choose one or two for that day. Legs up the wall is one of our favorites before bed!