Getting In Touch with your Inner Yogi...take online and in-person classes (or use a book or rock a baby with a gentle step, even pretend to)

Move With Grace is a lovely spot to do yoga (and even have a healthy drink) in Brooklyn NY. They run a  special of two weeks for $45 for unlimited classes...Anyone lucky enough to live close enough to it to take advantage of that offer (given time and basic flexibility though there are many offerings and one can work at their own level which is true of many fitness programs) would be wise to jump right in (or get in shape a little at home, maybe using the Yoga By Candace site and app or her book Namaslay. Finding ways to connect with a friend or two to attend a program or spur each other on is a handy, dandy idea as well. Even to mark the calendar with progress would make sense. When taking one's first actual class, that'd be worth noting with stars and maybe a treat of some kind for oneself and the support team (that may be one's fitness buddy, childcare provider, new friend from class...or favorite online program and healthy food or smoothie.)

Many say we are parenting ourselves, so why not think of that as coaching and encouraging as well as any other more practical messages and plans we may make for ourselves. Some would call that the inner adult rather than the 'should' or inner child "I wanna" running the show. Another nice tip I picked up from a new friend from the train ride from Wassaic to Grand Zentral (my new term, tell me what you think...) said 'lots of middle aged women go to work at the Y..Lots!'

That means a great number of women not necessarily a lot of exercise so I may give that a try sooner rather than grayer. Okay, it's this 'middle-aged woman's Nap Time' and since I can, and will put both feet up on the couch and do that special 'corpse pose' and listen for my breathing. I did make a nice addition to a dance step for rocking a young child to sleep. It's a simple step forward with one foot, say the right foot, but rock forward and back on it, then bring it back to standing, and step forward with the other foot, so the left foot in this example. Holding the child close, heart to heart, or if preferred, cradled in one's arms, that makes for a three steps and 'counts' of Right, Left, Right then Left, Right Left and 1-2-3, 1-2-3.

Depending on how fast or slow you are doing that step, try inhaling on 1-2-3 then exhaling on 1- 2-3, maybe even waiting after inhaling again until another three counts go by, then exhaling for 1-2-3. Doing that a few times without holding a baby, as in for a few minutes to see how you feel (and don't do if there are any concerns about balance, fitness, dizzyness or conditions, etc) might make sense. I have done a lot of lullabye singing such as with the song from Folk-Legacy Records sung by Sandy Paton called Watch the Stars. You could listen to that on youtube whiel rocking away. I also sing "I Mean Maybe" sung by The Patons. Many pleasant folk songs likely can build up a child's vocabulary and they are 'built to be sung', or at least hummed along with.

Your voice can soothe a child whether speaking, singing (even singing their name when summoning for a meal, which can also prove to be good song material such as Aiken Drum which is about a fellow made of veggies with a face that is a pumpkin pie and eyes that are tomatoes, for instance.) I do revise as I feel inspired so "Come Along" song lyrics for me include "Keep on talking" instead of hush your talking. But for now, I think I'll take that suggestion and head to bed at 3:33...as good of a time for a nap as any (and maybe even better for reasons we don't quite understand.)