Back to School: New Beginnings

A new school year is like opening a fresh notebook — the pages are clean, the pencils are sharp, and anything can happen!

In yoga, we have a Sanskrit word for this feeling, sukumara which means beginner’s mind. Someone with a beginner’s mind looks at the world with curiosity, excitement, and an open heart — similar to the way a child approaches a new experience.

We’re here to help you encourage your little ones. When we roll out our yoga mats, each pose is a little adventure, a new experience. We might wobble in Tree Pose, or feel our spine wake up in Cat Pose. School is the same way, reminding us, some days will be smooth and easy, and others might feel wobbly. That’s okay. Wobbles help us grow stronger inside and out!

Yoga also teaches us to pause and breathe. When kids feel nervous about meeting a new teacher or making new friends, they can take a deep breath in, let it out slowly, and remember — every inhale is a new beginning, and every exhale lets go of worry.

As we step into this school year, think of it as a yoga flow:

• Start with Mountain Pose — stand tall and believe in yourself.
• Balance in Tree Pose — even when life feels a little wobbly.
• Be flexible like Cat Pose — ready to adapt to changes.

Every day is a chance to learn, share kindness, and discover something new about ourselves. Just like on the yoga mat, we don’t have to be perfect — we just have to keep showing up.

Here’s to a school year full of strong bodies, calm minds, and joyful hearts. Please enjoy this short “New School Year” yoga storytelling adventure with your kiddos! 

New School Year

Bree woke up early for her very first day at a brand-new school. She took a deep breath, stretched wide, and felt ready for the day.
(Mountain Pose – stand tall, feet together, arms by sides, breathe deeply.)

She peeked out the window and saw the sun climbing over the hills.
(Sun Salutation Arms – sweep arms up high, looking toward the sky.)

On the way to school, she passed a beautiful tree full of chirping birds.
(Tree Pose – one foot on the other leg, arms reaching up like branches.)

A friendly cat strolled by and brushed against her legs.
(Cat Pose – on hands and knees, round the back gently.)

When Bree reached the schoolyard, she saw kids running and hopping. She joined them, feeling light and bouncy.
(Frog Pose – squat low, hands on the floor, little hops.)

In the classroom, she sat  ready to listen and learn.
(Easy Pose – sit cross-legged, hands resting on knees, soft smile.)

During recess, her new friends invited her to pretend they were airplanes flying around the playground.
(Airplane Pose – stand on one leg, arms out wide, lean forward.)

At the end of the day, Bree lay down and thought about all the new things she had learned.
(Resting Pose – lie on back, arms and legs relaxed, eyes closed.)

This month the eBook, Forever Friends, will be FREE Thursday, Friday, and Saturday - September 4, 5, and 6. If you don’t already have this one, here is your chance to grab it — the theme is kindness, honesty, and of course, friendship! Perfect for Back to School. 

> Forever Friends

Teachers and homeschool parents check out the FREE toolkit and printables to enhance the adventure!

> Freebies

XOXO, 

Kathe and Mel

Growing Gratitude: Seven powerful reasons why gratitude matters for kids

Gratitude, it makes our days shine brighter – it is so important for kids’ mental and emotional well-being!

What is gratitude?

Consider introducing the concept of gratitude to your kids by letting them know gratitude simply means being thankful for the good things in life. It’s like having a warm, happy feeling inside when you think about things, people, or moments that make you smile. It's about noticing and appreciating the little things.

Seven powerful reasons gratitude matters

    1. Boosts Happiness and Emotional Well-Being Gratitude helps children focus on positive experiences, which increases feelings of joy and reduces negative emotions like sadness or frustration. Studies show that practicing gratitude can improve overall life satisfaction, even in kids.

    2. Improves Mental Health Practicing gratitude can lower stress and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. When children learn to appreciate the good in their lives, it helps them develop a positive outlook and better emotional resilience.

    3. Enhances Relationships Grateful children tend to be more empathetic, kind, and cooperative. Expressing gratitude strengthens friendships and helps kids build strong connections with family, friends, and teachers.

    4. Builds Resilience Gratitude helps children cope with adversity by teaching them to find silver linings even in tough times. This skill builds emotional strength and resilience for the future.

    5. Promotes Better Sleep Gratitude can improve sleep quality by helping children relax and think positive thoughts before bedtime. When kids focus on what they’re thankful for, they are less likely to dwell on worries or stress.

    6. Improves Physical Health Research suggests that gratitude is linked to better physical health. Grateful children may experience fewer health complaints, like headaches or stomachaches, and feel more energetic.

    7. Encourages Self-Awareness and Mindfulness Gratitude helps kids pay attention to the present moment and appreciate what they have instead of focusing on what they don’t. This fosters mindfulness and self-awareness.

Incorporating gratitude practices, like gratitude journaling or sharing what they're thankful for can help children experience these benefits and lead healthier, happier lives!

We offer a simple guided gratitude meditation practice in our soon to be released book, The Wish Fish. Want a FREE copy?

We’ve been busy preparing for the launch of The Wish Fish, this is our 6th book in the A Yoga Storytelling Adventure series and would love for you to play a part!

As a launch team member, you get an opportunity to help shape our success. Here’s how it works;

🐟 Read an exclusive early copy of The Wish Fish. 🐟 Prepare an honest review 🐟 Buy the book for FREE on launch day (guarantees your review will show as a verified purchase) 🐟 Leave the review at Amazon on launch day

Easy peasy, right? We hope you’ll join; launch team members get a chance to win a signed paperback copy when the book goes LIVE!

Ready to dive in and help us makes some waves? Sign up today and be a part of something extraordinary! Click the link > https://bit.ly/3CXQCE8

XOXO,

Kathe and Mel

 

Thanksgiving: A time to celebrate abundance, generosity, and humility

 

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and as it nears, it encourages us to reflect on abundance, generosity, and humility!

It's a season of gathering with loved ones, sharing a feast, and expressing gratitude. Beyond the celebration, it offers a chance to embrace these timeless values.

Abundance: True abundance goes beyond material wealth. It’s about recognizing life’s richness—family, friendships, nature, and moments of joy. Thanksgiving reminds us to appreciate not just the food on the table, but the intangible blessings around us.

Generosity: Thanksgiving is also about sharing our blessings. Generosity, whether through a meal, kind words, or time, spreads goodness. Even small acts of kindness can have a big impact, creating a cycle of giving and receiving.

Humility: Humility grounds us in gratitude, reminding us that our blessings are not solely our own doing. Thanksgiving invites us to stay thankful for the people and experiences that have shaped us, fostering a deeper connection and joy.

As we celebrate, may we reflect on life’s abundance, practice generosity, and embrace humility. By doing so, we create a more compassionate and connected world!

Our title “The Magic Peach Tree” abounds with abundance, generosity, and humility! And we are overjoyed to share that it has been included in the Elite Books 4 Kids Gift Guide. Every year a team of 6 Junior Reviewers read and critique hundreds of books. These books, from self-published indie authors, are carefully screened and approved. We are so very grateful to have been included!

Check out the online catalog and please feel free to share the link with anyone you think may benefit > https://2ly.link/20WnF

In addition, The Magic Peach Tree eBook will be free Nov. 18, 19, 20, get it while you can. It just may be a great conversation starter!

Grab it here > mybook.to/themagicpeachtree

XOXO,

Kathe and Mel

Tap, tap, tap

 

So many things to celebrate this month. Groundhog Day, the play of light - shadow or no shadow … baby, it’s been cold outside!! Mardi Gras, laissez les bons temps rouler - let the good times roll and Valentine’s Day, we all need a little sweetness in our life!

We thought we'd send a little love your way with another simple yet powerful technique you can add to your emotional wellness toolkit - it is called Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT. Emotional Freedom Technique, also known as 'Tapping', has been shown to be effective for reducing stress, worry, and anxiety in adults and recent studies have shown it can benefit children too.

Emotional wellness is defined as the ability to successfully handle life’s stresses and adapt to change and difficult times. Research has shown that mindful movement and conscious breathing are highly effective to calm the body and shift emotions and that is one of the reasons we practice yoga! EFT is essentially a body-mind practice too.

EFT involves tapping on specific meridian points on the body while repeating a mindfulness statement. It is a self-healing technique (with no negative side effects) which combines ancient Chinese wisdom with modern day neuroscience. 

Did you know that emotions like stress, worry, and anxiety can get ‘stuck’ in the body? Meridians are pathways where energy flows throughout our body, and emotions are energy in motion. When they get ‘stuck’ they cause problems. Neuroscience tells us there is a direct link to these meridian points and the stress center of the brain, and tapping on these points sends a message that calms it down.  

Another interesting component of EFT is the use of mindfulness statement. Statements are like stories we tell ourselves. The brain is like a computer, it stores data that is input. I like to think tapping erases the old story, so we can rewrite a new one.

You don’t need to understand how or why it works. It’s really pretty simple and takes almost no time. Curious? 

Of course, you should try it on yourself before introducing it to your child. Here are some tips to get started.

• Familiarize yourself with the tapping points
• Have a light-hearted manner and make it fun
• Go slow, work on one issue at a time
• Remember, all emotions are valid and acceptable
• Gentle taps, about 7 times on each point

First, begin by identifying an emotion. Encourage your child to express how they are feeling. Keep it simple to start; scared, sad, angry, worried. Then create a mindfulness statement that starts with a feeling.

Example; worry, scared

 "Even though I'm feeling anxious, I know I can handle whatever happens."

"Even though I'm feeling scared, I know that I am safe."

Next, tap through the points. If you notice a yawn, it’s working. Yawns are one way the body-mind releases emotions. If you don't notice anything right away, no worries. Trust the process. End with a slow deep breath in and out, then hug your child!

There are lots of resources available to learn more about EFT. We believe nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our children, perhaps you will find tapping an effective tool for your child along with the practice of yoga. By teaching children to focus on self-care, we can help them self-regulate and build resilience.  

Drum roll…this month’s giveaway, “The Magic Peach Tree” ebook. This title came out last fall, reviews are slowly trickling in and they are fantastic! Here are a couple of short but sweet ones.  

"This book was wonderful: beautifully written, simple storytelling that’s easy for all readers to grasp, and absolutely stunning images. It teaches lessons of mindfulness and kindness, as well as descriptions of various yoga poses to match with elements of the story. Very creative!"

"What a beautiful tale of kindness and generosity. The story begins with an old man who appears to be a homeless beggar. When he is mocked by a local shop keeper, the villagers come to his rescue and as thanks, he performs a miraculous deed. Tied in with yoga poses, this story will be delightful to read and pose with your little ones!"

"The story is wise and really fascinating. Little kids are riveted by it. My niece loves to stare at the pictures. All the yoga poses are super cool too. It's a great 2-in-1 kind of book. Great buy!"

We’d love for you to read and review too if you feel so inclined. It will be FREE Wednesday and Thursday, February 21 and 22.

 Grab it here; mybook.to/themagicpeachtree

 

 May all children be calm, confident, and compassionate.

XOXO

Kathe and Mel