My Little Yogis

When Tory asked Santa Claus for a yoga mat last Christmas, I laughed and thought it'd be one of those things she wanted but never played with. You know, like the Dollar Spot junk toys she begs for every trip to Target. I wasn't sure she even knew what yoga was, aside from seeing me do it a few times in the living room.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was trying to be like me. "When I have my own workout mat, we can do our workouts together, Mom" she told me on more than one occasion. It made my heart happy to think I was being such a positive influence on her that I decided if she wanted a yoga mat, I'd get her one ... even if it ended up at the bottom of the toy bin.

Technically, it was Santa Claus who brought Tory a yoga mat on Christmas morning and it's been such a hit with she and Aden alike. I searched YouTube for a free kids yoga video that would be age and skill-appropriate for Tory, and came across the Cosmic Kids Yoga channel. It's awesome! I love how the instructor incorporates a story and imaginative play into each video. It completely captivates Tory's attention for 20 minutes and gives her a good outlet for exercise indoors.

Tory asks to do one of her yoga videos near daily, and prefers to dress in a "lea-form" (leotard) while she does it. I get it, girl! It's important to feel good about yourself while you exercise.

Let me take a second to comment on those long legs ... just when did my baby girl grow to be so tall?!

This old picture popped up on my TimeHop app the other day, and it made me smile. I guess my little Tory Bean has always been a little yogi.

Even Aden gets in on the action once in a while. Last week after I finished my morning workout, Aden crawled onto my yoga mat and pretended to do a few moves.

It fills me with pride so see what a positive influence I'm having on my kids. I don't claim to be a perfect parent by any means, but it's a good reminder that kids really are watching and learning from you everyday.