The Kissing Hand

Finally broke down and bought our own copy of The Kissing Hand because it is the sweetest kids book!

"Sometimes it's just as hard for us to leave our children in a new situation as it is for them. How comforting for both parent and child to know that the love and reassurance to face such separations can be as close as the palm of our hands!"

It's perfect for this time of year as we prepare kids to go off into the world.

Now, find your child, give them a squeeze and enjoy this book together.




Namaste
The Domestic Yogi

Sick of All Those Media-Based Books?

I just got back from my son's school book fair fundraiser and was quite disappointed and turned off by all the obnoxious media-based books, loud and cheesy cartoonish artwork, and general lack of substance. Not to mention the lack of culture and diversity. I mean, this is what the public schools are feeding our kids! Now, some of their books are grounding and classic, and some are very affordable which is great for some families, but it really affirmed to me why I am such a big supporter Barefoot Books. Kids need to a better alternative!

I know you mamas/parents will *get* Barefoot Books. They are so much more nurturing, beautiful and inspiring. Without being cheesy, their stories have characters who model the values I want my kids to strive for, like generosity, kindness, bravery, appreciating the earth. They are books kids want to read again and again.

There is Herb the Vegetarian Dragon (who refuses to fight and kill), Ruby's Baby Brother (featuring a breastfeeding mom), The Girl with a Brave Heart (who shows kindess to an elderly lady) and my family favorite Earth Tales. They are multicultural and diverse - even the Pirate short story collection features a story about a female pirate from Ireland. Their best selling books Animal Boogie has a little guy in a wheelchair, and different races amongst the kids.

      

So if you are looking for great books for your kids or as gifts this holiday season, check out my webpage. You can use the coupon code "TWENTY13" on my site and get 20% off your order. Or if you are local, and don't have much of a budge, or if you just want more books, you could host a Barefoot Books party and earn money towards books!

Making Learning Easy With Great Books

The other night at bedtime, my 5-year-old son and I were nestled in his bed as usual reading books. But this time I found myself rambling on about plate tectonics, the titanic, deserts in Africa where there once was arable land, and answering such questions as what one can do to combat the horrors of rain forest deforestation.

All this from one colorful and beautifully illustrated page in a kids world atlas. One page.

Not usual bedtime conversation for us, but this kids' world atlas we recently got from Barefoot Books has really made it easy for both of us to connect and be engaged with our mutual love of maps and geography.

And don't even get me started about the corresponding World Atlas app for iPads. Oh my.

There is just something to be said about a good quality book, and one with great kid-friendly (but not cheesy) illustrations and made in a way that draws you in. This book nails it.

By the way, did you know I am a Barefoot Books Ambassador now? I just love these books and wanted to share them with families in my community. Check out my site here. Order online through my site and you can use coupon code TWENTY13 to get 20% off your first online order. 

Reading To Kids Is Crazy

Let me be clear. Reading to your kids each day is not crazy. The crazy comes while trying to read to your kids, if say, your kids are mine.

I love more than anything the sweet moments shared while reading to my kids over the years. However, now that my littlest one is a full-fledged-two-year-old, its been, ugh, interesting.

Unlike her 5-year-old brother, she does not like to listen us read the book. She would rather us listen to her read the book. And she has a lot, I mean a lot, of words to say about each page. and every. page.

Here is what happens when I try to rush her a little so her brother can read the actual text so he will not get bored.




Sometimes I have to READ REALLY LOUD over her, because more than likely she doesn't want to listen to me and wants to read her own book beside me. Or in this case, she is singing her book. (It's cute as pie though right?)




Sometimes she manages to listen to the story I am reading, while she is reading another book at the same time. She will retell the story to me later pretty dead on. Toddler's are pretty amazing after all. They are little sponges.

I notice this in my kids yoga classes. Some kids will be roaming the room, reading or playing with something else, then go home and show their parents some yoga. Um, wow.

And finally, after taking 20 minutes to complete one single simple book after much patience and many fits and arguments about whose turn it is ... we get to start a whole other book.

And that is why it's crazy reading books with my kids. But I love it. Mostly. Good night!

What Happens When I Tell Stories With Just My Voice?

About a year ago, I started to read my three-year-old son some wisdom stories from a little book called Buddha at Bedtime: Tales of Love and Wisdom for You to Read with Your Child to Enchant, Enlighten and Inspire.

I was amazed when he loved them. They have many captivating images and always have great "teaching" moments. This made me think about how important it was to not just read or tell him stories that where entertaining, but ones that actually had good values and had teachable moments too.  

Magic.

Many nights before sleep, we put away the books and I make up a story special for him. With eyes closed, he is deeply transported by just the sound of my words. Looking over at him in this state, I began to understand the magic and power behind oral storytelling.

Imagination.

When I tell my son stories with just my voice, I can see that he is transported to another world. It is a body centering activity so he is in his body focused and listening, yet he also has one foot in the transcendence. It feel so good as a mother to be able to indulge his imagination and nourish his internal self by just telling stories with my voice.

Connection.

So much of the world that my son experiences is through touch or visual stimuli. We are a visual culture with children absorbing images from tv, videos, computer and story books. Today's children have a hard time fully accessing their imaginations. So many products have done all the work for them. As well as our schools cutting the arts and PE programs, so they can focus on academia.

Learning.

It feels so right spending my time as a parent sharpening my oral storytelling skills because I know it feeds my son's imagination, and will only deepen our mother/son relationship. Not to mention all the ways I can incorporate these stories into his learning, development. Just like how we learned recently about the Inuit Native Americans that live in the artic, near Santa, by telling him the story of Raven Brings the Light. It has spawned all sorts of questions.

Storytime Yoga.

Seeing the importance of oral storytelling in my son's life, and how it could be a powerful tool to help so many other children, last September I started my journey in Storytime Yoga's teacher training.

Storytime Yoga combines my love of yoga and movement, with my new-found love of oral storytelling. In a Storytime Yoga class, the adult tells a special story taken from another culture or time period, and tells it the whole way through while children listen intently. While the children listen, they activate their imaginations that transports them to another world. The stories have wonderful real life moments that children can learn from while being safe and asking questions.

When I began my teacher training, I started to notice how natural the Storytime Yoga method is for children. For example, while eating dinner, my mother-in-law told us a cute story while we all listened intensely. Then my son said to her, "now you pretend you are the plumber, and I will pretend I am the parrot in the bathroom. Go!" They then acted out her story.  

Storytime yoga integrates the learning process even further by re-enacting the stories with yoga poses, and then adding on various other activities such as singing, chanting, art and meditative relaxation much more. It is amazing all the learning that can happen without trying by using these wonderful mythic stories.

Even better, this method can be used for adults too. For example, as part of our holiday gathering at my yoga studio where I teach adults, I will be retelling the story of Raven Brings the Light and doing yoga poses. I know the adults will have a fun time with it, and it gives us an opportunity try something fun and new, and to talk about honoring the sun and the ever-lasting light within during these dark days of the Winter Solstice.

No Comparison.

All the other yoga books, DVDs and trainings for children I have seen seem so basic and boring. I was struggling in my own children's yoga classes to make it more captivating, and now learning the Storytime Yoga method, it has really brought a whole new shift of enhanced attention and enthusiasm to my children's classes and at home with my kids.  

On a personal level, the training has helped me to explore more deeply my inner world, as well as help me find my voice as a storyteller and deepen my teachings as yoga teacher. I am still working at it though, and look forward to riding out this exciting Storytime Yoga teacher process!

I highly recommend this training to anyone looking to teach children. It may be a longer training than others out there, but the wisdom that is gained in the nine-month process is invaluable!

Now's the Perfect Time to Remember Ancestors

My little gnome on Halloween

Reading Storytime Yoga's latest Kids Storybook kit, The Skeleton's Ball, it reminded me that "fall is the time when things are dying and passing away. It’s the time to recognize grief, remember ancestors and others in our life who have died."

On this Halloween night, instead of making up a story at bed, I decided to tell my almost 4-year-old son a little about how Halloween started. Then I told him how at this time of year, many cultures honor their relatives who have passed away. He then got to choose a story about one of our relatives who has passed away.

He chose my Grandpa Davey. It was so touching to tell my son about the sweet memories I have of my kind-spirited Grandpa Davey who lived a simple life as a farmer in rural Ontario. My stories led to more questions from my son's curious brain, such as: why did he have no hair? Why did he smoke? Why did he eat a fried egg everyday? Why was he healthy and lived a long time? Why didn't he have fast food where he lived?

Oh my, it was more educational than I thought! My sugar-crashed brain could barely keep up. But it was a sweet way to end a very memorable Halloween night with my family.

How to prepare my little blue ninja for the realities of life and death,
and the art of war that a good ninja must face

I agree with Storytime Yoga founder Sydney Solis that children need to understand that death is part of life. Too often in American culture, we tend to sugar-coat, and not give death and grief the proper acknowledgement and time it may need.

I want my child to be aware of the natural cycle of life and death, and know about the wide range of emotion that life may bring, so that he will be okay feeling those feelings, not repressing them, should those emotions fall upon him. 

I believe that nothing ever dies, because it was never born. I believe we are eternal.

I love the simple metaphors Sydney uses in her follow up activities in The Skeleton's Ball ebook to help children understand more about life and death. Like this one: Our body is like a car, we step inside it and move around in it for a while, then it wears out because it is of the earth, and we step out of it and look for a new one.

Or, we are like a light bulb. We are the light within the light bulb, not the light bulb itself that wears out.

I can't wait to read my son the two short, simple, yet touching stories included in The Skeleton's Ball kit. The stories are about two families that deal with a death. The stories are timeless and magical. They transport children to a different time and space where they are safe to explore the mysteries of life and death.

I highly recommend Storytime Yoga's Skeleton's Ball story kit, especially if you are seeking creative and engaging ways on how to talk to your child about the mysteries and realities of life and death. The Skeleton's Ball kit will be available shortly for purchase for $9.95. Or you can get it now if you sign up for their Kids Story of the Month Kids Club for $69.95.

Or click here for a chance to win a copy of the Skeleton's Ball story kit by simply leaving a comment on my blog!

The Skeleton's Ball GIVEAWAY!

Through song, stories and other activities Storytime Yoga's latest Kids Story of the Month kit, called The Skeleton's Ball, gets your bones moving! It's lively song, and other stories included in the kit will transport you and your kids, invoking their imagination and curiosity.

When I taught my son and his friends the folk song from Latin America called The Skeleton's Ball, I found myself talking about how skeletons move, and answering questions about joints. I also had to explain to the 3-year-olds that the word "ball" also means party - a big fancy party in a theater or big room. The kids got a kick out of imagining skeletons all dressed up and dancing at a big fancy royal party!

Sydney Solis, founder of Storytime Yoga, explains why it is so important to honor this special time of year: The earth’s energies shift at the Fall Equinox and call us internally to purify, renew, and prepare for the coming darkness of winter. 
There are many festivals at this time of year: The Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashana; the Muslim Ramadan;  the Mexican Day of the Dead; and Christian All Souls Day to name a few. 

By telling stories, practicing yoga and becoming aware of the season, we answer our soul’s yearning to connect to something deeper than the material life paraded before us. We yearn to connect to the energy and mystery of the world and the energy and the mystery that is in us. Humans always have the need to reconnect to source, and we do this by honoring the seasons and recognizing the change in our lives. We accomplish this especially when we invite children, the light of life, to celebrate with us to teach them the old ways and make them new again.  

Storytime Yoga has kindly offered a free Skeleton's Ball Storytime Yoga kit to one lucky Domestic Yogi reader!

This kit includes an e-book with two bonus stories and a parent/teacher guide for ideas and tips on how to bring story and yoga to the children in your life. It also has audio and video of the song, and flash cards to use.

What you need to do to enter the contest:
1- Like Storytime Yoga with Sydney Solis on Facebook
2- Post a comment here on The Domestic Yogi Blog OR on my Domestic Yogi Facebook page.

Winner will be chosen at random.

The Spirited Hippo

When I stopped nursing my son to sleep, I needed another way to make him happy and sleepy, so I would turn off the lights and snuggle up close and make up a story or two before singing him sweetly to sleep. He adores my stories, no matter how silly, boring, or bad they may be.

Some nights I don't have the energy, but when I do, often I am amazed about how I am able to weave a decent story and teaching together on the whim of the moment. It has also inspired my son to make up his own stories, which he is getting better at, like me, with practice.

Snuggle up close, and listen to tonight's story about a spirited hippo. My son made me tell it twice, so I guess it's not too bad. This story, by the way, sounds much better acted out than it reads:

Once upon a time there was a big blue hippopotamus. He was a happy hippo, with two big teeth on top and two big teeth on the bottom. This happy hippo loved to run out into the bright green meadow every morning, and jump around merrily snapping his big mouth in the wind while trying to eat the flowers. He especially loved the yellow, orange and red flowers in the meadow.

Until one day, he came upon a cricket. There the happy hippo was laughing heartily as his twisted in the air bounding after a buttercup, when the cricket shouted out: WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING? The hippo stopped and looked down and saw the little cricket standing there with a scowl on his face.

You almost ate me, shouted the cricket.

Oh, said the hippo, I am so sorry, please excuse me.

Humph, said the cricket, who do you think you are anyways?

Oh, I am just a hippo who loves to run and dance and eat flowers in the meadow.

Well, that is absurd. Who has ever heard of a hippo who runs and dances and eats flowers? Hippos don't do that. Such behavior is unruly.

Oh, said the hippo, I never thought of it like that. I suppose you are right.

So the hippo, found a nice spot in the shade of an old oak tree and sat down and sighed a big sigh. And then sighed again more slowly. And then sighed again even more sadly and slowly.

There he came back and sat each morning for days and days, and weeks and weeks, and months and months until...

Another cricket came and bounced up onto the hippos lap and said very chipperly: hello there!

Oh, said the hippo slowly, hi there.

Whatcha doing, asked the cricket.

Nothing, moped the hippo. Just sitting here.

What's wrong, asked the cricket.

Oh....I guess I am just bored. And maybe a bit sad.

Well, what do you like to do then?

Oh...I dunno. I used to love to run and jump and dance and eat flowers in the meadow.

Well, said the cricket, why don't you go do that?

Can't, said the hippo. It wouldn't be very hippo-like.

Oh, I see, said the cricket. And he became really quiet. There the two sat for some time, quietly. Until the cricket spoke again. Well, it seems to me that you are happiest when you are running freely eating flowers. While other hippos are happiest sitting silently in a pond watching the world go by. Just because no other hippo loves to do what you do, doesn't mean that you shouldn't do what you do.

Uh, I am not sure I am following you, said the hippo.

Well then, let me ask you a question hippo. Are you hurting anyone by running around in the meadow dancing and eating flowers?

No, said the hippo.

How does it make you feel, asked the cricket.

Wonderful, said the hippo, truly wonderful. The hippo began to think about running in the meadow, and slowly he began to light up, and shine almost like the sun.

The cricket spoke again. What I am saying is that you need to follow your heart hippo. If it tells you to run and dance and chop flowers, then I think you should listen to it. Don't worry what other people think, or you will continue to sit around moping all day.

Oh, said the hippo. I suppose that makes sense too.

And off went the hippo, bounding through the meadow again with even more joy than before. And from that day on, the hippo remained a happy hippo.

If you happen upon a bright green meadow this summer, remember the hippo and have yourself a dance and see how you feel.