Flora is one of our amazing kids’ yoga teachers. She was teammate number 1 after we had received enough funding to hire. I call her my Angel because her help is heaven sent!
Flora came on as a yoga teacher initially but before long she revealed herself to be a master organizer. She has been sorting out our databases, website (and in many ways, me!) ever since. Flora is patient and helpful at every turn, no matter the zany idea I come up with. She has a rare combination of creativity and practicality, plus she has the sweetest way of telling me when it’s obvious I’m getting so excited I’m about to knock over my coffee cup :)
The YB Media team had a sit down with Flora to find out a little more about where, exactly, she gets her angel dust.
YBMT: Flora, when our teachers ask for advice, I am always amazed at how many creative ideas you have. How do you find your inspiration?
I am a Pinterest mom. I love to organize everything in a creative and functional way. Whenever I have time, I would search for new ideas and experiment with my son.
YBMT: What path or paths led you to teach kids' yoga?
I love kids and I always wanted to work with them. When my son was 2 years old, I was diagnosed with depression. I used to have a high stress job. I also chose to work a graveyard shift in order to spend more time with my son. I was introduced to Hot Yoga and I loved it. I started to practice 5 days a week and I was healed by it. One day, my teacher told me about kids yoga and I was amazed by it. I did the Rainbow Kids YTT right away. At that point, I never plan to become a yoga teacher. I just want to learn more. Right after my training, I got a chance to teach Family yoga at my home studio and a kids yoga class at a daycare closed to my home. The more I teach, the more I fell in love with this job. Faith is a mystical thing. When you are on the right path and you are passionate enough, the universe will align everything to help you get there. And that is how I became part of the wonderful Yoga Buggy family.
YBMT: What suggestions do you have for new or aspiring kids’ yoga teachers?
Be a kid, be kind and keep learning! Be a kid: just have fun with them. Invent new games and use their (kids) language. Times have changed, being a kid is way harder than it used to be. They are surrounded by many choices and we all know making the right choices takes a lot of experiences. One of the processes of learning is to make mistakes. So please goes easy on them and YOURSELF! Be compassionate: plan your class but go with the flow of the kids. We all have good days and bad days. Sometimes even we have a low energy day which we don't feel like doing anything. Why is it ok for us to lay on the couch and watch TV on our low days but it is not okay for the kid to not engage in your class?
YBMT: What would you do if you had a Sunday all to yourself?
Clean my house and try out some ideas from Pinterest. LOL
YBMT: What would you like to learn next?
More fun, creative, and meditative way to cope with our feelings. I feel kids are so stressed these days. I noticed some kids find being in a safe and calming place to observe their feelings and cope with it is like getting a time out (punishment). They don't know when to stop or how to stop so they let their emotions build up and caused an overload. I hope I can learn more different ways to show them the benefits of "having a moment to themselves". That doesn't mean they have to sit in lotus pose and close their eyes. But find their own way to create their own safe space in their mind.
Want to experience a teacher who is loving, fun, creative, and generous to boot? I strongly recommend checking out one of Flora’s classes.
The Yoga Buggy relies on the generosity of our community to bring Yoga to more Kids. Please click here to join our by donation online classes. Hope to see you there!
