I am a twin toddler mother. I use these 6 yoga tricks to prevent meltdowns.

If I had to describe the last four and a half years of my life – that pregnancy, postpartum and excluding breastfeeding – with rough honesty, I would use three words: overstimulated, overwhelmed and overwhelmed. Of course I would also use words like joyful, abundant and wonderful. It all depends on the day.

After completing my 100-hour trauma teacher training, I never trusted yoga as a source of income, but rather as a form of spiritual payment or Metta (loving friendliness) in action. I have always said, “If you can breathe and move, you can do yoga.” So when I became a twin mama at the age of 38, more than a decade after I started practicing yoga, it was both a personal mission and an urgent need to approach parenthood through a yogal lens.

Using the tools and tricks that I had collected through my work as a yoga student, teacher and pre-K-12-educator came naturally. But there is nothing about the birth or raising two people at the same time that comes easily. Even if Twin births riseNo sutra, asana or breathing technology can be prepared for multiples with mourmering.

Adjusting elements of yoga for the needs of children has helped enormously.

Yoga for children: 6 tricks to prevent toddlers

While I navigate through the toddler years with a mix of attempt at grace and inevitable chaos, these yoga-inspired hacks helped me to keep the peace in our house.

1. Legs against the wall

To maintain a appearance of common sense as twin parents, my husband and I practice ‘relay parenting’, each other the baton in daily tasks such as bedtime stories or breakfast. In the nights when it is Papi’s turn to read books, I slide to the wall in the belly position, close my eyes, enjoy the cheerful laughter of my little ones and the cute statements of their Mexican father of English words and audibly exhaling. My children love to go with me, usually one by one, and will copy my calmness. This offers a double advantage for my nervous system and theirs.

Do they wiggle and do they have to be adjusted several times? Naturally. But they also make sweet attempts with temporary silence. As I illuminate the legs of the wall (Viparita Karani), they give me a massage by walking on my back or puting the full weight of their small bodies on mine, sprinkling in pillows and hugs such as soft summer rain on my skin.

2. Lion’s breath

My use of simhasana, or lions breath, with my children is as much for me as for them. I never hesitate to use it in situations with high stress where one or more family members are about to lose it.

Because nowadays my twins are mainly passionate about animals, the roaring, tongue -reducing game is an easy question that distracts them from their emotional urge to dysegulation. The long, deliberate inhalation and powerful, oxygen-defringing exhalation leaves them back in a more grounded Mind-Body breath connection. Their boxes, eyebrows and jaws relax when the collective mood shifts and all almost relief all of us offer only one precious moment.

3. Blow out the candles

Most days toddler parents just need a few slow breathing to use their creative problem -solving skills. Sometimes ‘scent the rose, blow the candle out’, this technique can also be done as an emotional balance, for children, known as ‘Star Breath’. When the tantrum runs, or you feel that your child is ready to be chosen, the contours of your or their fingers follow, the side of the finger will travel on the inhalation and then walk out as you follow in the dip between the numbers.

This saved the day when Twin A wanted to sit on my lap for the story before going to bed and Twin B was on the floor, making both impossible for them to see the illustrations at the same time. I was able to “blow out the candles” with one of them, while the other “read” the book itself until we could reach a mutual agreement. This exercise gave me that crucial buffer of 30 seconds to turn the process and prevent full melting.

4. Take upside down

Although in practice they may not look alike, headstand (Sirsasana), Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana) and legs in the wall inversions or upside down poses. The same benefits of improved circulation, stress reduction and mood improvement apply to each.

Because most of the toddlers cannot stay in balance in a head position or handstand without help, I encourage them to go through the steps so much to get into the posture and go to the back of forearms, or to lift one leg, I actively offer hands-off support. As soon as they are upside down, I try to remain silent, pay attention to their physical instructions, such as fast or difficult breathing or wiggle, instead of bringing them back to the upright position. If we want our children to trust their bodies, we must model that we also trust them.

This is also an active binding exercise in which your child receives your undivided attention, builds up self -confidence and concentration and practices full presence.

5. Shake the anger

Some find this framing controversial, although I consider spontaneous movement in adults as an invitation to return to our childish essence. What calls Kundalini Yoga Kriyas– Or a series of actions that work on your body, mind and mind – we call “the anger shaking out” in my house.

If I have no more mindfulness ideas at all, I will say, “Come on, spaghetti, let’s shake the anger!” (Spaghetti refers to the inexplicable capacity of all toddlers to suddenly turn their entire physical being into a limp noodle when they refuse to do something.) If I can get them on their backs on a soft surface, I will no longer give their ankles or wrist and you have Rimple, Shake, Scream, Laugh and Cry, with both our Bodies, Kriyas.

If your child shows that you do not want to be touched at the moment, you can imagine that they do it alone or that they shake and shake you without any physical touch. There is no good or wrong way to shake, because unstructured shaking to free up anger is a cathartic action in itself. And, just like everything else in your yogi parent toolkit, if it doesn’t work for them, it can still do wonders for you.

I felt victorious after a shake-it-out session earlier this week, my son asked: “Do you feel better now that we have shaken the anger?” I unintentionally humble me, he replied, “Yes, mommy, I feel better. But it’s because you hug me.” So was the calm resolution thanks to shaking or the tenderness? Was it an energetic transformation or only an effect after the mist? Or both?

6. Bedtime Mantras

My husband and I started playing in the twins’ children’s shoes “OM SHANTI OM” By Deva Premal Before bed as a soft blackmail ritual to indicate their transition to sleep. This consistency has brought them comfort. On the days that they are laser-oriented on a task prior to bed, they will simply ask to repeat the mantra music to extend the time instead of panic (and potential tantrums) over the sand that slides through the hourglass too quickly.

When the collective energy before bed is exceptionally high From head to toe By Eric Carle so that they can perform the movements and postures of different animals with me. Admittedly, these are not a traditional ‘yoga -asanas’, although the book is an excellent source to complete a conscious evening routine.

To follow

Simone Jacobson is a Burmese American cultural connector, Toddler Twin Mama and writer based in San Miguel De Allende, Mexico.

She used to give yoga in Washington, DC’s marginalized communities of penitentiaries, public libraries and parks to nature retreats with queer and transjunning.

During the day she is the content director for Well, Spirit Collective. At all other times she strives to raise compassionate children who never lose their curiosity, tenderness and radiant light.