So many of us as parents seem to struggle finding time to take to be still and quiet, myself included. Some days it feels like if we don’t get up at 4:30 AM, there’s just not time to fit it into the day. That’s why I love carpool meditation… Arriving a little bit early, sitting in the car with my feet on the floorboard and tush in the seat and just taking a few minutes to be quiet, still, and breathe. Sunday, quiet in my room is a little bit here, so I just sit listening to the sound of the air conditioner (or heater in the winter). If the weather is temperate, I might turn the car off and ro ..read more

Summers in the studio are truly like no other... the summer studio was my gateway into adulthood. I believe that although I didn’t start in the studio from a young age, I have definitely grown up in my years of being here. Being surrounded by the amazing crew at Swimmers by Jessica and Yogees Yoga 4 Kids has truly been amazing! Each year at the studio brings so many new opportunities to learn and grow, not only for the kids that attend the classes, but also for the staff. I, for example, have learned that sometimes facing life with the heart of a child is really the best way to approach all o ..read more

Most of the United States is experiencing a pretty intense heat wave, and here in North Texas, it's looking a lot like we might be in for a VERY hot summer. When it's just too hot to go outside and a new variant of Omicron is spreading, you might want to stay home and inside most days. How can you keep the kids active, engaged, and cool during these heavy days? We have some ideas for you! Roll out your mat and do some yoga! You can find some videos online, sure, but how about creating your own yoga stories and practices? Grab a yoga deck (you can find our digital download deck on our e-shop ..read more

“The daughter”, as we so kindly refer to our oldest child, graduated last weekend from The George Washington University located in Washington, DC. She majored in Business with a minor in Theater, which is her passion! Avery Ruthe Yoss arrived in this world January 20, 2000, and my life has never been the same. Being a mom is simultaneously the greatest and hardest gift depending upon the day. It is a gift that never gets thrown away or put at the back of the closet. I have heard the saying,”Children are like flower seeds given to you with no instructions,” many times throughout my parenting j ..read more

This week, we get the honor to celebrate and teach about three distinct holidays... One Jewish, one Christian, and one Hindu. Teaching our children, and learning ourselves, about holidays and traditions of other faiths and cultures allows us to cultivate understanding and compassion for others who hold traditions different from our own. We have curated some lessons, crafts, books and recipes here to help you get started! Purim is a spring celebration in the Jewish tradition that honors the salvation of the Jewish people from a Persian king, Haman, through the selflessness of Esther. It is cel ..read more

One of the most powerful and meaningful practices of yoga and mindfulness is the practice of radical love... for yourself, your neighbor, your community, your world. When we consciously practice loving ourselves and others, love really does grow all around us (just like it says in "Love, Actually"!). The more we practice love, the more love we see. We would love for you to join us in practicing Loving Kindness Meditations through the next few weeks and let us know any changes you notice. We recommend this practice with our colleague and friend Erica Ebert with Mindfully Educated out of Webster ..read more

Did you see Goldie Hawn on the "Today Show" last week? Her program called MindUp uses mindfulness practices in the classroom and beyond to teach kids (and the adults around them) tools for self-regulation and grounding that can improve lives and outcomes. We believe in these practices and have created Mindful Bites to address these needs in short, teachable lessons that can be used by parents, teachers, and caregivers. Teaching children mindfulness techniques at an early age can set them up to be more resilient, use more of their brain, and be less reactive in challenging situations. How shou ..read more

Whatever you celebrate this season, we can all take the time to pause, reflect, and celebrate the winter solstice. The winter solstice, celebrated Dec 21, 2021 in the Northern Hemisphere, is the time of the astronomical year when the day is the shortest and the night is longest. Historically, it has been celebrated as the day that begins the lengthening of the daylight hours moving into spring. Read more about the Winter Solstice at National Geographic Kids. It is often celebrated in the yoga community as a time of quiet, care, and honoring the past year and the growth and change that has happ ..read more

A great way to practice gratitude is to be thankful for the bodies we live and breathe in every day. This short practice with gratitude affirmations will help the whole family feel alive, connected to each other, and grounded in gratitude. Mountain Pose With feet together and firm on the ground, stand tall with hands at "namaste". Reach your arms over your head and say "Thank you, sun, for the warmth and light you give us. Thank you for helping plants grow!" Bring your hands back to your heart. Forward fold From mountain pose, hinge at the hip and bring your hands to your legs, feet, or floor ..read more

Mindfulness: “the awareness that arises from paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally”. ~john Kabat-Zinn As the yoga educator at the Temple Emanu-El, ECEC I feel it's important that everyone in our community have some knowledge of mindfulness. Mindfulness is something we have the opportunity to try everyday. We can start simply with a moment of gratitude. Can you stop now and name three for which you are grateful, right now? Just stop, breathe, and think of a person, place, and thing for which you are grateful today. Mindfulness is something we can do for ourse ..read more