Put a Lid on Your Sippy Cup - teaching stillness to children

As a teacher of very young children and a person on a yogic path, it is fun and challenging to present ideas and lessons of maturity on a child's level. I have been working in my own life on fortifying my container. In other words, I am trying to sit in stillness more frequently so that my energy isn't wasted and depleted before I need it. It is about becoming resourceful and responsible with the actions of body and mind to conserve stored energy. Becoming still and sitting in meditation are ways to strengthen the container. But, try asking an energetic child to do this!

Children, especially certain individuals, have a tendency to jump out of their seats and move constantly. There are a few in particular who I teach yoga to weekly in a school setting who have not had success controlling their bodies for any period of time in the past. Their teachers ask me if this is normal and if they need medication for ADHD. I immediately cringe at the word normal, but let them know this behavior in within the spectrum of what is to be expected in children and that discipline alone can not "treat" their excessive movement and drugs are premature. Let's approach this from their level and make it accessible. Let's give them practice and a chance to succeed.

Last week, I felt the recurring conversation of " (omitting the child's name for his privacy)____, sit criss cross apple sauce," was driving everyone crazy and not helping ____ sit still. It only moved the focus off topic and onto the child. I had to come up with something else. So I said to the class,  "your bodies are sippy cups and it's your job to put the lid on." I said they are filled up with juice and they need it for when they are thirsty. When they fidget and bounce off the walls at inappropriate times, juice is spilling out, leaving them with less each time. I explained how the juice was reserved for their later consumption but if it all gets depleted, they will be left thirsty. They not only understood, but I was able to say "put a lid on your sippy cup," at various times throughout class and the children would relinquish fidgeting and sit in stillness in criss cross apple sauce also known to yogis as sukasana.

The child, whose teachers believed to be incapable of sitting, was so proud of his stillness. He was able to rest in savasana (rest time) that day for the first time without disturbing the other children. He was not perfect and needed help with reminders. Yet, I see this is a step in the right direction of making stillness accessible and success possible for the "impossible' child.

I have sympathy for classroom teachers having been one previously. Yet, I feel they need training on ways on how to speak to children on a child's level and how to approach behavior without demonstrating  frustration of strong display of emotions. We all require lots of practice.