Q - I Have a soon to be 9 yr. old son. He has walked perched on the balls of his feet since he was 11 months old. Having done that myself as a child I am acutely aware of the health problems that will thus manifest for him in life as he gets older.
He already has extremely shortened Achilles, hamstrings, contracted gluteals, protracted lumbar lordosis and incredibly twisted toes from maintaining his balance as such. He also has chronic breathing problems with mucus congestion and thus breathing thru the mouth. I have keenly devoured your book “structural yoga therapy” and both my son and I am aware of how yoga can help him.
My problem is, as you explain in the book, that there must be the desire/will to change, to make the yoga practice true and effective. But how do I inspire this in my son? So that he practices with attention and desire, rather than it becoming an enforced routine of something that he must simply do? I am caught in the maternal dilemma of accepting our children for what they are and allowing them to live their life according to what is in them, yet I know what a great deal of benefit will come to Owen thru the practice of yoga. It’s not much different really to trying to get them to not eat junk food or stop watching TV! any insight you may have on this I will listen to with gratitude.
Respectfully yours J