erin schoen
MARSH

Are society’s expectations of children’s social behavior unrealistic and potentially harmful? Recently we went to a friend’s house for a play date. All of us desperately needed to get out of the house after two weeks of no school and Ohio below-zero temperatures. Our 4-year-old son was a bit of maniac. Dexter feeds off of the energy of others, which inevitably means he’s full of life when other kids are present, and after two weeks of no school, Dex was more wound than usual.

Parenting: The most difficult of the Ashtanga series While complaining about my 2-year-old’s sudden refusal to sleep, my friend and budding Ashtangi told me, “Kids need parenting at night; there is no way around it. This is what we all signed up for.” But I didn’t sign up for this. I knew the first year after birth was brutal--we’ve done it twice now--but I thought after 1+ year, we’d be in the clear. Life could return to a somewhat normal, albeit kid-centered, pace. I was mi

Kids yoga provides physical exercise while also teaching kids techniques to help them listen to their bodies and start to manage their emotional responses. “Look, mama! I’m doing yoga!” This is a phrase my 4-year-old regularly exclaims, and it encompasses any move that involves balance or contortion—even if the move only slightly resembles a yoga pose. My favorite is when my son sits cross-legged and rests his hands, palms up in a Gyan Mudra hand position, on his knees while

Physical exercise and sports hold numerous benefits for kids; choose one that fits your child and can grow with him over the years. Everyone--from the government, to schools, to children’s shows--emphasizes the importance of daily physical exercise, especially for young children. When kids are in school, parents know their children are fulfilling the daily recommended dose of physical activity, but now that summer vacation has arrived, some children are reticent to enjoy the