Tá an Earrach buailte linn, faoi deara thiar thall! Agus tá mé ag siúl go mór leis na laethanta níos faide agus dóchas a aireachtáil! Dóchas go dtiocfaidh deireadh leis an dianghlasáil go luath...

It’s Spring! Finally! I’m really looking forward to longer days and hope! Hope that these lockdowns will end soon...

An tseachtain seo tá mé ag iarraidh leanúint ar aghaidh ó bhlag na seachtaine seo caite. Tabharfaidh mé cur síos daoibh ar an darna cuid den rang Relax Kids. Is sa chuid seo den rang go dtosaíonn muid ag ciúnú síos agus ag socrú síos le bheith réidh le luigh síos agus scíth a ligint agus muid ag éisteacht le ceol agus scéalta beaga gearra.

This week I want to continue on from last week’s blog talking about the Relax Kids classes and what they entail. So this week we’ll talk about the second half of the classes. This half is where we start to relax and wind down, getting ready to lie down and relax while listening to music and some beautiful Relax Kids visualisations.

Síntí/Stretches

D’fhag mé ag na cluichí sibh an tseachtain seo caite agus an chéad chuid eile den rang ná síntí. Déanann muid síntí atá cosúil le síntí a dhéantar ag ranganna ióga. Cabhraíonn na síntí le teannas a scaoileadh amach as an gcolainn. Choinníonn muid an-chuid teannais sa cholainn agus fanfaidh sé ann muna scaoileann muid amach é. Úsáideann muid an anáil le linn an chuid seo den rang freisin agus bíonn deis ag na páistí cártaí a phiocadh le fáil amach céard é an chéad síneadh eile a dhéanfaimid.

I left ye at the games and play last week so we’ll continue on from there which during a class would mean we would move onto the stretch step. We do some simple yoga-type stretches during this part of the class to release tension our body holds. Using the breath we move in different ways in each pose and the children have a chance to pick cards and tell us what pose they want to do as well. I love interactive classes because it means the families get to tell me what they want to do and it’s more craic for me!

Úsáid do lámha/Feel

I ndiaidh na síntí, úsáideann muid ár lámha ar a chéile agus orainn féin. Labhraíonn muid faoin gcnaipe suaimhnis atá ionann ar fad agus déanann muid cácaí agus píotsa ar a chéile. Bíonn muid ag smaoineamh ar na rudaí gur maith linn a dhéanamh le linn an chuid seo den rang freisin. Labhraíonn muid agus bíonn muid ag tarraingt pictiúir de na rudaí deasa a rinne muid ar an lá sin.

After stretches we move into self and peer massage which is my favourite step to do with families. I love watching families help each other relax and quieten down while they give each other a gentle massage. We pretend to make pizzas and cakes on each others backs (with permission of course!) and we also talk about things we enjoy doing and we draw pictures of good things that have happened to us and for us during that day.

Anáil/Breath

An darna chéim dheireanach sa rang ná anáil. Is céim ann féin é cé go mbíonn muid ag úsáid an anáil le linn an ranga. Le linn an chéime seo, bíonn muid ag déanamh cleasanna beaga gur féidir linn a dhéanamh agus a úsáid ag am ar bith agus in áit ar bith. Bíonn go leor craice againn freisin ag úsáid ainmhí leis an anáil a chleachtadh chomh maith!

Our second last step is breath and while breath has it’s own full step, we use our breath to help calm our minds and bodies throughout the whole class. during this class we teach tips and tricks to help make the breath more accessible. We do different activities that are really simple and can be done at any point during the night or day. And of course, we have the craic with it by adding animal breathing and some loud noises into the mix!

Luigh síos/Relax

Agus ansin, ag deireadh an ranga luíonn gach duine síos pé bealach agus pé áit atá compordach dóibh agus éisteann muid le ceol agus bím féin ag caint ar an gcolainn agus an caoi atá sé ag mothú. Is breá liom an cuid seo den rang a dhéanamh agus an teaghlach ar fad le chéile agus iad sa bhaile mar chiallaíonn sé go gcruthaíonn siad spás agus áit sa teach go bhfuil siad in ann aireachas a chleachtadh. Chomh maith leis sin, má fheiceann na páistí go bhfuil na tuismitheoirí á dhéanamh freisin beidh níos mó measa acu air agus tá níos mó seans ann go mbeidh suim acu é a dhéanamh. Is rud álainn é más féidir leat aireachas a chleachtadh le do pháistí nó le do phairtnéir. 

And each classes finishes with the families lying on their bed, the floor, couch or whatever it is they have around them that is comfortable. We listen to some beautiful, relaxing music and I read out some Relax Kids visualations while the whole family lie quietly together listening. I love this part of the class particularly when it is the whole family doing it. It’s such a beautiful practice to get into and it creates a calming, relaxing atmosphere in the house.

Más suim leat féin a bheith linn don chéad chúrsa seo den bhliain, ranganna uair an chloig ar feadh sé seachtain a bheidh ann agus tá na sonraí ar fad ar fáil anseo. Má tá tuilleadh ceisteanna agat faoin gcúrsa ba bhreá liom labhairt leat faoi. Cuir ríomhphost go solasrelaxation@gmail.com agus socróidh muid am atá feiliúnach don bheirt againn! Tá mé ar bís le tosú!

So, if you want to join me for this Relax Kids six week course check out all of the information here and if you would like to have a chat about the course please let me know by emailing solasrelaxation@gmail.com. I can’t wait to get started!

An tseachtain seo, d’fhogair mé mo chéad cúrsa teaghlaigh don bhliain. Cúrsa Relax Kids a bheidh ann. Le linn gach rang Relax Kids téann muid trí seacht gcéim ina iomláine. Idir seo agus tús an chúrsa, ar an gCéadaoin, 3 Márta tabharfaidh mé cur síos duit anseo ar na céimeanna sin. Beidh an cúrsa ar siúl ar feadh 6 seachtain ag 4.30in gach Céadaoin agus tá sé feiliúnach don chlann ar fad, ach go háirithe páistí ag aois bunscoile ach bainfidh na páistí níos sine agus níos óige sult as píosaí éagsula de na ranganna.  

This week I launched my first family Relax Kids course of the year. Every class of a Relax Kids course includes seven steps. I am going to use this blog for the next few weeks to explain exactly what those steps are and what happens during each Relax Kids class. The course I will be running will be a 6-week course starting on Wednesday, 3rd March at 4.30pm and it is suitable for all families, particularly families with primary-aged children but older and younger children will enjoy different parts of the class. each course is completely tailored to the needs of the participants so everyone is welcome! And as it is an online class you can be located anywhere as well!

Tosaíonn muid gach rang le trí anáil domhain, isteach tríd an srón agus amach tríd an bhéal. Cabhraíonn an anáil seo linn féin a shuaimhniú agus a shocrú síos le go mbeidh muid réidh le tabhairt faoi rudaí nua. Iarraim ar gach duine na lámha a chur ar a mbolg aon am go ndéanann muid anáil domhain leis an anáil a mhealladh síos go dtí an bolg. Go minic nuair a thógann muid anáil bíonn sé gearr agus éadomhain agus má táimid ag iarraidh na anála a úsáid leis na intinn a chiúine caithfimid é a mhoilliú síos agus ligint den aer isteach sa bholg.

Every class starts with three deep breaths in and slowly out. Focusing on the breath and the use of the breath is a great way to calm the busy mind and it is the perfect way to start anything new or different. After taking three breaths with their hands on their belly the participants are ready for whatever new thing we will be doing! I always ask children and adults alike to have their hands on their belly during the deep breaths as it encourages the breath to elongate and to reach as far down as their belly. We so often have shallow, short breaths but when we focus on the breath and can make it longer and deeper we are automatically quietening our minds as we are taking the attention away from our thoughts and into our bodies.

Nuair atá sin déanta againn agus nuair a thuigeann gach duine céard a tharlóidh sa rang, seasann muid ar fad suas agus tosaíonn muid ag bogadh. Critheann muid amach ár gcolainn agus ag léimt thart agus ag fáil réidh le uair an chloig spraoi agus craic! Ansin imríonn muid cluichí; iarraim ar na páistí ligint orthu féin gur ainmhí éagsula iad. Is breá liom féin an eilifint a dhéanamh agus moncaí, capall agus coinín. Uaireanta iarraim ar na gasúir insint dúinn faoin ainmhí is fearr leo agus déanann muid sin chomh maith!

When this is done and when everyone understands exactly what will be happening during the class, we stand up and we start moving. We shake out our arms and legs and our bodies to release tension and to warm ourselves up to get started. Then we play some games. The games have had to change a little due to the online aspect of the classes now but they’re always a lot of fun! One of my favourite games is to pretend to be different animals; I love doing the elephant and the monkey and the rabbit and sometimes the children will tell me what animals they love and we’ll give them a go too!

Dár ndóigh, bhí ar na cluichí athrú beagán agus muid anois ar líne ach fós féin bíonn go leor spraoi againn. Deirim ráitis agus bíonn ar na páistí léimt chun tosaigh má tá sé fíor agus léimt siar muna bhfuil sé. Tá réalta beaga agam le focail orthu agus feiceann na páistí iad agus ansin bainim ceann nó dhó agus caithfidh siad smaoinigh ar céard a bhí ann roimhe sin.

Another game is that I say a statement and if it’s true the children and their parents jump forward and if it’s false the jump backwards, I also love getting everyone to make some noise or playing memory games.

Sprioc ollmhór atá agam le linn gach rang teaghlaigh ná go mbainfidh na páistí sult as agus le linn an chéad chuid den rang déanann muid go leor leor rudaí le go mbeidh am maith acu! Beidh an cúrsa seo ar siúl ar Zoom agus tá an t-eolas ar fad ar fáil anseo.

One of the main aims of every family class I teach is that the children have fun and the first part of the class is all about fun and jumping around and doing whatever we need to to get moving. All of the information on this upcoming course is available here.

Le tuilleadh eolais a fháil ar Relax Kids agus na táirgí álainn ar fad a chuireann siad ar fáil cuir scéal chugamsa ar solasrelaxation@gmail.com nó téigh go suíomh Relax Kids anseo. Freisin, beidh mé ar ais arís ar an Luan ag 6in ar mo leathanach Facebook anseo le píosa aireachais eile ón leabhar The Wishing Star. I mBéarla a bheidh sé ach má tá píosa aireachais uait i nGaeilge bígí i dteagmháil liom agus beidh mé in ann rud éigin a dhéanamh duit. Agus déan cinnte go dtagann tú ar ais an tseachtain seo chugainn le fáil amach céard a tharlaíonn le linn an darna cuid den rang!

Relax Kids have so many beautiful products and packs they provide for parents and children. You can always contact me on solasrelaxation@gmail.com if you have any question or you could go to the Relax Kids website here. I will be live on my Facebook page Solas Relaxation agus Relax Kids on Monday evening at 6pm (GMT) reading from one of the beautiful Relax Kids books, The Wishing Star and make sure to come back here next week to find out what the next steps in a Relax Kids class are.

Bíodh deireadh seachtaine álainn agaibh ar fad agus má tá ceist ar leith agaibh maidir le rudaí suaimhneacha nó aireachais bígí i dteagmháil liom!

Have a beautiful weekend, whatever it is you get up to and if you have any mindfulness or relaxation questions please send me a message xx

Grá mór,
Katie