A Yogi for Sam

When it comes to relaxation, I've noticed Sam has a difficult time. He just hates closing his eyes when it's not for bedtime. He's a logical thinker which gets him in to trouble most of the time. He can rationalize himself out of anything and when asked why he's trying to get out of it he'll give you a very plausible\rational answer that anyone would accept. I try not to just assume that Sam is hyper or that it's even a problem, but it's been made very obvious to me that others think that and have made mention of it behind my back. He's not been tested and all of the self tests they provide point to no or a mild case. He only concentrates on things he likes or finds interesting and nothing else. If he's being introduced to something he'll give it one total minute to see if it measures up. If he's had a bad experience with something or has been forced to experience something he has an adverse reaction to it and makes it very clear. While that seems normal and it gets the proverbial "all kids do that' stamp of approval, it's obvious that Sam's idea of why it's adverse are very different and he doesn't fit within the confines of ordinary. What is very clear is that he has heightened emotions. He doesn't know how to react at times. He in essence wears his heart on his sleeve. He's very invested in his relationships and he can become very obsessive about them. He loves with every single fiber of his being.
I witnessed some negative behavior from a fellow little person toward Sam the other day. It just broke my heart. Sam came home and mulled over it most of the night. He was so worried about it and felt as if he had done something wrong. He felt he had deserved the negative attention. I couldn't convince him that he was just fine and that he hadn't done anything wrong and that he should just continue being friendly and sweet and himself because that is what is special about him. He is still talking about it and I hope that it doesn't last forever. It's moments like this when it's hard to just rise above it and move on and not be angry and frustrated that someone else's kid was ignorant and hurtful, despite their age or parental mimic. The sad realization that this is just the first time and most definitely wont be the last gives me anxiety.
I get it that raising children has become even more challenging as the years have gone by. Kids live in a hurry up world filled with all sorts of activities. From school lessons to sports and attempting to get to the museums, birthday parties and what we think are once in a lifetime experiences puts a lot of stress on them. Memberships to arboretums and children's museums and visiting old folks gets to be too much.  I wanted to find some sort of activity that would help foster a sense of self-esteem and be a noncompetitive physical activity. I spoke with a friend the other day that has her 3 little ones in Yoga and they love it. I want Sam to learn some relaxation techniques that can help him navigate through the challenges of life however big or small. The child yoga class I've signed up for isn't typical of an adult class. The class focuses on nature and imitating the movements and sounds of nature. Most kids love imitating animals. The instructor at Centered City Yoga says that he honors the children's innate intelligence and tunes in to how they need to be personally instructed. They use the yoga asanas as a springboard, but they will adapt animal behaviors, play musical instruments, create art and do storytelling as well as teach with interdisciplinary techniques. I even had to look that one up. The greatest challenge for us will be holding his attention long enough to teach him the benefits of yoga: stillness, balance, flexibility, focus, peace, grace, connection, health and well-being. I was a bit of a smart ass and assumed that this frou frou stuff would turn my child in to an overly sensitive, ultra limber, vegan weirdo, but now that I think about it...I wouldn't mind. 
Sam has a lot of toys, he has everything and anything he's ever wanted. He's spoiled and coddled and has so many options and choices that it's muddied up his life. He's overloaded and overstimulated. His Pediatrician says he's intellectually and socially above his range, which is great, but it hinders his ability to interact with other children his age. He spoke in complex sentences around 18 months and has been treated like an adult from the beginning. Just the other day as I was composing this blog post my computer froze and in my frustration I just shoved the computer off in the corner. Sam came over and looked at the screen and said that it had a virus again. He was right. He also came to me last Friday morning without a whine or a tear and proclaimed he had an ear infection and need to go to to the doctor to be healed. Right again. He's almost too observant and aware of his surroundings and his complex ideas far surpass my abilities and immature sense of what early childhood means. I love him so much that it makes me sick sometimes. Even in the difficult times, I want to just grab him and hug him and kiss him all over. With his busy bugs and his silly nature he's such an amazingly precocious and loving child and I love him for it.