How Kidsβ Yoga Can Transform Your Childβs Well-Being with Lauren Chaitoff
In this uplifting episode of The Midlife Makeover Show, Wendy Valentine sits down with Lauren Chaitoff, the inspiring founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Yogi Beans, to discuss how yoga and mindfulness can empower children to thrive physically, mentally, and emotionally. Lauren is also the author of the playful and engaging book, 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids, which helps kids manage stress and regulate emotions through fun, themed yoga poses.
Whether youβre a parent, educator, or simply passionate about childrenβs wellness, this conversation is packed with insights on how to nurture healthier, happier kids. Letβs dive in!
Why Yoga for Kids?
Children today face increasing levels of stress from school, social pressures, and technology. Yoga offers kids essential tools to manage anxiety, build focus, and foster emotional resilience. Lauren Chaitoff createdΒ Yogi BeansΒ in 2007 to bring yoga and mindfulness practices to children in a fun, engaging way. From working with top brands likeΒ American Girl,Β Athleta, and theΒ NYC Department of Education, Lauren has helped children build self-confidence and emotional well-being.

The Power of Mindfulness for Kids
Yoga isnβt just about stretching and balanceβitβs about connecting mind and body. Teaching kids mindfulness through yoga can:
β’ Improve focus and concentration
β’ Enhance emotional regulation
β’ Reduce anxiety and stress
β’ Promote self-love and body awareness
β’ Encourage positive social behavior
Lauren shares how even simple breathing exercises can help kids calm down before a doctorβs visit or manage big emotions at school. Itβs about giving them lifelong tools for emotional intelligence.
What Youβll Learn in This Episode
β¨ How Yoga Benefits Children β Discover how yoga strengthens not only the body but also the mind and emotions of children.
β¨ Why Mindfulness Matters β Learn why mindfulness is essential for kids growing up in todayβs fast-paced world.
β¨ Tips for Introducing Yoga to Kids β Get practical advice on how to make yoga fun and engaging for your children at home or in the classroom.
β¨ Behind the Scenes of Yogi Beans β Hear Laurenβs inspiring story of how she turned her passion for wellness into a globally recognized childrenβs yoga brand.
β¨ How 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids Came to Life β Find out how Laurenβs book is helping parents and educators teach yoga in a creative and accessible way.
How to Introduce Yoga to Your Kids
Lauren makes it clear that you donβt need to be a yoga expert to get your kids started. She shares these simple tips:
β’ Start Small: Introduce just one or two poses and build from there.
β’ Make It Fun: Use themes like βUnder the Seaβ or βJungle Safariβ to engage their imagination.
β’ Lead by Example: Practice alongside your kids to encourage them.
β’ Incorporate Breathing Exercises: Teach them to take deep breaths to manage stress.
β’ Celebrate Progress: Remind them that yoga is a practice, not a perfect!

Final Thoughts
Yoga isnβt just for adultsβitβs a life-changing practice for kids too! Through Yogi Beans and her book, Lauren Chaitoff is helping children build self-awareness, emotional resilience, and lifelong healthy habits. Whether youβre looking to calm your childβs anxiety, help them focus in school, or simply give them a fun way to move their bodies, yoga is an amazing tool.
Ready to empower the next generation with mindfulness and movement? Tune in to this inspiring episode and start your childβs yoga journey today!
Bonus: Donβt Miss These Special Offers!
π FREE Masterclass Alert! π
Interested in teaching yoga to kids or adding mindfulness to your parenting or classroom? Lauren is offering aΒ FREE MasterclassΒ on January 15th, 17th, and 21st! Learn how to inspire kids with yoga and mindfulness. Sign up atΒ https://yogibeans.com/yes!
π Join the FREEDOM at Midlife Program! π
Ready to reclaim your life? Enroll today atΒ freedomatmidlife.comΒ and use codeΒ 100Β for $100 off. Class kicks off January 16!
πΒ Connect with Lauren!
Watch it on YouTube!
READ THE FULL TRANSCRIPT
Meet Lauren Chaitoff, founder, Chief Visionary Officer of Yogi Beans
Wendy Valentine: Welcome back, my beautiful midlife mavens. Today we have an incredibly inspiring guest who has been at the forefront of the children’s yoga movement for over 17 years. Wow. You go girl. Meet Lauren Chatoff, founder, Chief Visionary Officer of Yogi Beans. Such a cute name and a certified yoga and Pilates instructor, Lauren is a pioneer in promoting children’s mental and physical well being through yoga and mindfulness. She has worked with leading brands like American Girl, Athleta, My Fave, and the NYC Department of Education, bringing her passion for wellness to kids, parents and educators around the world. Lauren’s debut book, 108 awesome Yoga Poses for Kids, is a whimsical and playful guide designed to help kids manage stress and regulate emotions through yoga. Whether it’s an under the sea or jungle safari theme, Lauren’s creative approach makes yoga fun and accessible for children everywhere. From teaching her first Yogi beans class in 2007 to creating a globally recognized wellness brand, Lauren is on a mission to help the next generation thrive. Get ready to be inspired by her story, her insights, and her contagious enthusiasm for mind body wellness. Please welcome Lauren to the show.
Lauren Chaitoff: Oh my goodness. That was probably one of like the best intros ever. So thank you.
Wendy Valentine: Isn’t that nice to hear though? You know, it’s like, oh, who is she talking about?
Lauren Chaitoff: I was like, this person sounds amazing.
Wendy Valentine: Let me meet this Lauren girl.
Lauren Chaitoff: So thank you, thank you for the warm welcome. I appreciate it. That was great.
Wendy Valentine: Thanks for being here. And I told you earlier, your book is so cute. It is so well done. I mean really like the. I like the full color, even your cute pants that you’re wearing in it. And then it tells you the ages like for the poses and just the different names. I don’t think I can do the telephone though.
Lauren Chaitoff: The tele. Oh, it’s a, it’s a bit of a hip opener.
Wendy Valentine: If you’re on YouTube, you can see when I try to do the telephone, but I can’t. It’s. It’s like literally putting your foot up next to your ear.
Lauren Chaitoff: Well, I always tell the kids yoga’s a practice, not a perfect. So yeah, we try. It doesn’t. It might not get to your ear, but that’s okay.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah, it is, seriously, such a good book. It is. I mean, I wish I’d had this book with my kids, like in helping them to just relax their body, relax their mind. It is so good. But we’ll, we’ll get back to that.
My first question for you is how did you get into Yoga
My first question for you is how did you get into Yoga.
Lauren Chaitoff: How did I get into yoga? So in, It almost feels like a past life, but in my, I guess up until my. Up until I was in my mid-20s, I was very serious about pursuing acting. So I was a theater major. I went to Northwestern. I studied theater. I moved out to Los Angeles. I pursued acting. And, during that time, I was waiting tables and bartending and cocktail waitressing, and I decided I need a job that, pays my rent but also fills my soul. So I started teaching Pilates because at the time, I, I didn’t think I was spiritual enough to teach yoga or good enough or I had this whole, you know, story in my head. And then I moved back to New York. M. In about. I guess I moved back in about 2005, so. Oh, my God, 20 years ago, I moved back, and I kind of decided, you know what? I don’t think I want to continue acting anymore. I was doing a few, you know, like, little shows. I wouldn’t even say off off Broadway. Like, so all, you know, like, so.
Wendy Valentine: Far off, off the offer.
Lauren Chaitoff: Literally. Not even, like, just.
Wendy Valentine: I was doing in the next town.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah, like. Like that. Yes. You know, the Lower east side, little playhouses and stuff. and I just decided, you know what? I don’t think I want to do this anymore professionally. And I was like, I was teaching, still teaching Pilates, and I said, you know what? I really love inspiring people in their wellness journey. I was. I was feeling good about that. So I was like, maybe I will get my yoga certification. And I got my yoga certification through Yoga Works, which at the time back in, like, alts was everywhere in the city. And when I completed my teaching practicum, which is, you know, at the end of your certification, you go up, you teach, they give you feedback. My feedback was, Lauren, you have, good queuing, you know, all your alignment points. However, you do have a lot of energy, and if you’re going to go teach yoga, you may want to tone it down a bit. And I thought, okay, well, I do. I have a lot of energy. I know who I am. And I. I. To me, yoga is about being authentic. It’s about truth. And I was like, I’m not gonna change who I am to. For, you know, for anyone. I should use this energy and I should channel it, and I should teach yoga to kids. And I did a lot of children’s theater. I was a nanny, so I’d always loved working with children. And that’s kind of how the idea for Yogi Beans.
Wendy Valentine: Interesting. I Would have never see. And I shared with you too. I got certified in yoga and that was one of my issues. I had way too much energy. I was like, I couldn’t even. Okay, now let’s go ahead and lay down. I was just like, I feel so weird. Although I did record meditations and I had to use that voice and that’s a little bit easier but in, teaching yoga. But how creative though for you to do that.
You started teaching yoga to children in 2007, how did that start
So, okay, and then yogi beans. How did that, I mean, you shared a little bit about how that started.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yes. So I, I had this idea, I was like, you know what, I should probably, maybe I should teach yoga to children. And at the time, one of my trainers, she had like a two year old who she’d bring with her a lot and they’d always be, Lauren, you have to stop playing with Noah. Lauren, come back into the training. So, you know, I was like, I think I should use this work and share it with children. And I was teaching Pilates and I had a lot of clients on the Upper east side, Upper west side, and they would tell me these stories about their children. You know, they’re interviewing for preschools or they’re so stressed. I’m like, I don’t, I couldn’t even believe interviewing for a preschool.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: And I thought, you know, I thought to myself, you know what? Children really need this. And that’s, you know, I said, I think my energy would lend itself. Well, I think children, especially in, you know, at the time in New York City, these stories I were hearing, I’m like, they, they need this just as much as I do. And I think a lot of us that begin our wellness journey or come into yoga, we tend to start it later in life. You know, I started my first yoga class was in college and I, I was going to say I was an anxious child, I’m an anxious adult, you know, And I thought to myself, wow, if only I knew just a little bit of what I learned since I started my practice and just learning about, you know, I’m not my thoughts in my head. And all of these things that yoga, yoga gave to me. I said, wow, if 7 or 8 year old Lauren, you’re just an iota of any of this, how different my childhood might have been. So that was also a big impetus for me. like why wait, why? We, we do all things as children.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I mean some people think that yoga is just about like the asanas, the physical poses, but it’s so much deeper than that. And I I can see then why that would be so helpful. I mean, it’s helpful for all ages, but especially for children, it’s like, it’s. It’s setting that foundation for them of how to regulate their emotions, how to be calm, how to. And, And. And even just standing, you know, in, in good.
Lauren Chaitoff: All the benefits. Exactly. There’s the physical benefits for the children, you know, learning how to stand tall and, you know, flexibility, strength. But there’s also the mental focus, concentration, and the, the big one is the emotional. Especially children today, you know, the stress they’re under with social media and all of that external validation that they’re seeking. So teaching them to go inward.
Wendy Valentine: Do you know of. Of children that you’ve taught when they’re little and they’re still keeping up with it?
Lauren Chaitoff: Oh, yeah. I have, So I started yogi beans in 2007, shortly after my move back from California. And I have three sisters that I started teaching in 2007. They were maybe 2, 5 and 7 at the time. Around that. Now they’re, they’re in their 20s. One is graduated, one is, a senior in college. One is going to college. And I still keep in touch with them. Yeah, for sure. And they’ve. We’ve spoken about how their yoga practice has stayed with them throughout their journey. And I have other students that reach out to me. I mean, I’ve been doing it long enough now that the kids that started with me when they were younger, they’re in college, graduated.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I mean, I can see, though, Again, like, the mindfulness piece can be so critical for, For a child. And, and it’s something that, like, you don’t ever. I don’t know who said it was Einstein that, like, once you expand the mind, you. It can never go back. You can never. So. And it’s so true. It’s like you, like once you expose a child to a lot of those, you, know those teachings, they’ll. It’s. It’s in there. I mean, so much better. Like, so much better than some of the crappy, limiting beliefs we adopt as a child, you know, teaching some good things.
Lauren Chaitoff: Children are also very. I have found, especially the younger they are, they’re already connected to all this. It’s as we get older, right? And as we start taking these signals from society that we start closing ourselves off, that we start not honoring our authentic self. So, like, the younger the child, the more they’re like, oh, yeah, this all. This all makes sense. And then as especially tweens and teens, you know, that’s when we start getting, we’re looking outwards instead of inwards. So yoga helps them with that.
Most of your classes are in person, but some are virtual
Wendy Valentine: All right, so are your classes all in person?
Lauren Chaitoff: Most of them. We have a few virtual, like, kids that work with us virtually. But yes, most of our, all of our classes are in person. So we work with, schools, non profits, municipalities, corporate clients, private clients, and we have a team of amazing instructors that go and teach all the classes. I mean, at one point, you know, years ago, it was me teaching seven days a week. And now we’ve grown. So we have an incredibly, gifted team of instructors that are passionate about sharing this work.
Wendy Valentine: Do you find that there are some kids, like, there’s usually always, like, at least one super hyper kid that’s bouncing around that he can’t settle. He or she can’t settle down again. What do you do with that? Do you.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah. So, I mean, there’s, I mean, there’s all different. You know, there’s the child that doesn’t want to participate. There’s the child that’s watching everything and absorbing it all. There’s the super hyper child that gets everyone riled up. And I always tell, when I train instructors, I always tell them, you know what, it’s a life lesson. What you resist persists. So when working with children, you really have to be present. That’s the first kind of the yoga sutra too. Yoga’s now. So you be present with the children, and rather than resisting their energy, you want to go into their energy, right. And, and take it and then be able to kind of redirect it so you can get back to the lesson. so when there’s really hyper children, you know, that’s okay. A lot of parents will say, oh, my child could never do yoga. Of course they can. You don’t have to. People say, oh, I’m not flexible. I can’t do yoga. Well, that’s why yoga, right. You don’t. You do. You know, as a teacher, people always say that. Well, that’s why you practice. So, like, if your child is super hyper, of course we want to teach that. And it’s also children’s yoga. So our classes are fun and there’s movement and laughter. They’re not expected to sit on the mat and be quiet the whole time.
Wendy Valentine: I would think, too, it’s also a way for them to get in touch with their bodies, knowing their bodies. Like, I mean, I know for me, even just as an adult doing yoga, it’s like nice and quiet. Then you feel like oh, that’s what that feels like when I’m raising my arm up. Oh, that hurts a little bit or oh, that feels good. Right? I mean it’s a way for them to learn their bodies and to love their bodies.
Lauren Chaitoff: That’s.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: so much, so much about. It’s a ripple effect. And this is true for not just children.
Wendy Valentine: Right.
Lauren Chaitoff: Like the love needs to start from within and then it can go outwards. So we’re very big on IM affirmations, we’re very big on stressing. Yoga is a non competitive physical activity. And I taught adults for years too at Equinox and all the gyms in the city and they still need those same reminders. You know, yoga is a practice, not a perfect. It’s not about touching your toes, it’s just like what you said, it’s being aware of your body right in the present moment.
Wendy Valentine: I love it.
How do parents actually get their kids to start doing yoga?
How do parents actually get their kids to start doing yoga?
Lauren Chaitoff: So a lot of our classes take place in schools, so the kids are already there. However, a lot of, I mean I just got an email just yesterday from a father. My seven year old wants to do yoga. So a lot of children actually ask their parent, you know, they want to practice it. It’s not, it’s surprisingly not such a hard sell. Children really. And I think part of it is our curriculum. And we are, we’re not adult yoga teachers teaching kids. We are children’s yoga teachers. So children really enjoy the class. And the funniest part is they’ll ask all the time. Right. You have the first class in the middle. Are we going to do that thing at the end where we like lie there and. Yeah, we do that every class. They love my favorite pose. Mine too. They love it. They love just being able, being invited to just rest and not have to do anything. Right?
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: It’s so important we live even for children. We’re in this like hustle society and just being allowed to like lie there. They’re like, we do that every class.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah, every class, yeah. Giving yourself permission to rest. Yes.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah. So important.
Wendy Valentine: Do you ever do like parent, like a, parent and child?
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah, yeah. So we do family yoga. So for children under three, there is always a grown up present. I always say we’re not babysitters. So like for anyone under three, if it’s not a class in a school but it’s a class at a yoga studio, they’re always going to come with an adult. And then for children above three, we’ll offer family yoga. So where the Family gets to practice together. And that’s really sweet.
What kind of transformation do you see that takes place even in one class with the child
Wendy Valentine: What kind of transformation do you see that takes place even in just one class with the child?
Lauren Chaitoff: I think the biggest thing that we can teach people, and what I’ve heard from parents as well, like what the children are really taking, is how you breathe and change how you feel. So when a child is, let’s say, overwhelmed or having a really big feeling or has to go to the doctor to get a vaccine or has to. I know. I remember one parent, this was years ago, he. He wrote us an email saying, I have to administer eye drops to my daughter. And every night it is like, I dread it. It is the bane of my existence. And he goes, last night, I’m about to administer these drops. And she goes, daddy, let me take a breath first. And he was like, I couldn’t believe it. She took a deep breath and let me put the eye drops in. So I think tools like that, those coping strategies are the biggest. The biggest takeaway. You know, I always tell parents and children, I really. It’s great if they can do a crow pose, sure. But, like, I don’t care about that. You know, like. Like you said in the west, so much, so much of the focus on yoga is on the asana or the postures, but really, there’s. There’s so much more to the practice. So for me, when a child learns how to regulate their breath through what I’m teaching them and then in turn regulate their emotions, that’s a win.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I would think, too, that if a parent sees what difference is making for their child, that they’re like, ooh, maybe I’ll start doing.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yes. I had. I’ve had many parents who come to family yoga who are like, this is the only time I’m stretching during the week, you know, and that class is for the family. It’s not for just the adult. But I’ve had parents tell me, you know what. Because my child started a yoga practice, I’ve started a practice, and I love doing that.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah, it’s such a great way to bond with your child. I mean, I shared with you, that, you know, when I got certified and then I. I started, like, my kids were my students, you know, because I had to get so many hours or whatever, and. But it was so neat to see them. They were. And they were really engaged, and they were like, oh, like, they were doing tree pose, and we kind of make it fun. And then at the very end, yeah, the asano. And they’d. And they would. They Would fall asleep. I was like, this is awesome.
Lauren Chaitoff: They really do love it.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah.
How did the book come about? So the book came about. I started Yogi means in 2007
Wendy Valentine: So, yeah, let’s talk more about the book. How did the book come about?
Lauren Chaitoff: So the book came about. I had, you know, I started Yogi means in 2007. I was always like, you know, I want to write a book, I want read book. And, we do a lot of trainings. We train people how to teach yoga to kids. So in our training manual, we had all these pictures, and they were old, and I was like, you know what? I need new pictures. So I. I hired a photographer. I had all these beautiful pictures taken in those rainbow pants. And I think I took those photos. I’ll tell you the date. It was like, May 19, 2020. So, you know, what was happening next. So we took these photos and it was like. We were hearing about COVID when we did the photo shoot, but we were all like, it’s gonna be this fine. It’s my guy, the makeup artist, like, in my face. and then the night, I think it was the next day, the next day or two, the city shut down. Everything closed, Schools closed. And I had all these photos and I was like, what am I. What am I doing with them now? You know? So I decided I’m going to make. I’m going to use them for. I’m going to put all our trainings online. And for that year of 2020, everything kind of pivoted online. And I said, I’m going to create, like, a digital pose book. I’m gonna create, a PDF of all these poses and create some digital offering. And that totally bombed. I was total, like, total. You know, I had this idea and it happens, right? And it just did not do well, fell flat. And I was talking to a friend of mine who was in publishing, and I was like, I really, you know, I have all these cards. I. I know this would be such a great educational resource for parents and teachers and yogis. And he said, well, the first thing you need to do is you need to get an agent. And I was like, well, I know nothing about the publishing world. I have no idea, like, where to even start. And he was like, you know, good friend from college. He made an introduction. I met her, my. My agent, Liz, who was great, who believed in the project. She used to work for Sesame street, so she had, like, a background in the children’s.
Wendy Valentine: Oh, that’s so cool.
Lauren Chaitoff: And, yeah, and then we, you know, pitch the book and, you know, you have your book coming out, you know, it Works. And, and that, that’s kind of, you know, the book, the book came from that, from realizing that also children are very visual learners. And most of the, books and products that are out there in the children’s yoga world, they’re not photographs. They’re kind of like cute, adorable drawings of either animals doing the pose or like a child doing the pose, but a, drawing, not a photograph. And I’m like, I think having the photograph is so helpful, because children can see the pose. Someone that is teaching it can clearly see the pose. So that was also another reason why I really felt passionate about the book.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. Like I said, it’s. It’s so well done and it’s cute. It’s not. It’s not too. I mean, yes, it’s made for kids, but still I was like, oh, this is.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yes, it. I’ve had grownups be like, I could use it in an adult class. It’s. It toes that line of being really playful for a child. Yet it’s an excellent. A lot of teachers and especially PE Teachers have told me it’s such a great.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah, I was going to say, so good for. For school teachers, it’s like in, like pick up, you know, maybe like they open up the book to a different pose each week or do they ever, like, do things like where the kids are actually like the teacher, like, okay, I’m gonna show you.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah, we do that in class too. I think it’s great to empower children. Especially you were saying, like, what do you do when you have a really hyper child? I’m constantly trying to show children themselves in another light. So for the hyper child that’s constantly told, oh, you’re the class clown, or, oh, you don’t know how to listen, let’s take that child and make them a leader. Let’s take that child and say, you’re going to teach this pose now, open to any pose in the book and then you teach it. So, yes, it’s an excellent resource for schools as well.
Wendy Valentine: Oh, good. and then you have master class coming up, which I think is so cool. And it’s free.
Lauren Chaitoff: It’s totally free. So this is my first time. You know, I think I. When I started Yogi needs in 2007, I was not, You know, as women, I think we can either tear each other down or we lift each other up. And I am just a big believer in the latter. Like, why not? Right when one of us rises, we all rise. And when I entered the Yoga World in 2007. I was not, I had someone who was kind of out to get me and she, it was terrible, and talked a lot of, a lot of negative stuff about me to other people in the industry. Really tried to bring me down and and it hurt. And I had a lot of imposter syndrome for a really long time. And I feel like I’ve been doing this for 17 years and I’ve had, I’ve been fortunate, to have a lot of success doing, doing it. And I want to help other people, you know, because to me, the more children that are exposed to yoga, the better. The better our world will be, you know, if more.
Wendy Valentine: Yes.
Lauren Chaitoff: Compassionate and have self compassion and just, you know, mindfulness and present moment awareness. So I want to help other people that are either already teaching yoga or interested or curious about teaching yoga to children. I, want to show them like you, if I can do this, you could do this too.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. Oh, I love it.
With all these negative things that we hear, sometimes the world feels overwhelming
You’re being, you’re being the change we need to see in the world.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah. right. I think we all, sometimes the world is so overwhelming, right. With all these negative things that we hear, especially on social media, you’re inundated with like the divisiveness and like, it doesn’t have to be like that. You know, if we all do our small part when it feels overwhelming, I have to remind myself like, if I could just do my small part in like my small corner of the world again, that’s going to have a ripple effect rather than being like, what do I do? The world is a dumpster fire. Right. If you feel like, just focus on like your small corner and then you’ll see. Like, even if you just change one person’s life right. In a day, like I always think like, what can I do today to just maybe uplift one person? Whether it’s giving them a compliment or holding the door open for someone or something like that. Like one small thing to pay it forward. So yes, I have a free master class. Oh, yes, anyone. And going back to that, interested in teaching yoga to kids? It’s going to be January 15th, 17th and 21st. You go to yogi beans.com. yes, you can sign up there. It’s going to be amazing.
Wendy Valentine: I’m really now. Do they, do they already need to be.
Lauren Chaitoff: No, you need nothing. You need nothing. You need, you need just. I like working with children.
Wendy Valentine: Yep.
Lauren Chaitoff: I love yoga. This sounds interesting. That’s all. You know, if you’re like, I hate kids and I hate yoga, you’re like, yeah, maybe then don’t come. But if you’re like, I love working with children. I. You know, I. I’m in the. Well, even people that are in the wellness industry, we get a lot of people that are, you know, get a lot of ots, pts. We get a lot of therapists that come and then they.
Wendy Valentine: I was just thinking, yeah, like, even nurses, like, if they’re. They can help, like when they’re, you know, kids are in the hospital and they can help, like, hey, let’s calm our mind, calm our bodies. Let’s do this little pose. Oh, it’s.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah. We’ve worked with the Ronald McDonald House before, going there, teaching yoga to kids there. So whatever you like, if they’re. You’re working with children, you can incorporate this work into anything that you’re doing. Whether you’re speech pathologist, whether you’re a reading specialist, a guidance counselor. There are ways to infuse this into your work.
Wendy Valentine: I’m glad you didn’t listen to that naysayer years ago.
Lauren Chaitoff: Right? Yeah.
Wendy Valentine: I’m glad that you didn’t side with her. I’m glad you’re, like, trusted your heart and your soul, and you went for it. And. And I’m even glad that the, when you took those. The pictures of the. The poses and then that first thing flopped, because then now you have this beautiful book. It’s so cool.
Lauren Chaitoff: It’s a lesson, right. I feel like, yeah, sometimes things. Things have a way of working out or unfolding in ways that we don’t always expect, you know, for anyone on, like, that entrepreneurial journey. And they think like, oh, this didn’t turn out the way. And, you know. You know, yeah, m. Turn out the way I hoped. And then you’re like, okay, but if. If you believe in it, then you just keep moving forward. You don’t let it stop you, and you keep moving forward and moving forward, and things have a way of unfolding.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: Unexpected. Unexpected ways of unfolding.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I mean, and that’s one thing I especially learned in doing yoga. It’s like, okay, this. I can’t do this pose today. Maybe I can do it another day. Oh, that didn’t work out the way I wanted to. This. Then it ends up, you know what I mean? Like, being detached and just surrendering and just allow.
Lauren Chaitoff: Flexible. No pun intended. Right. But not the physical flexible, but just being flexible and being like, today maybe I can’t do this pose, and tomorrow maybe I can. It’s all a practice. It’s All a journey. It’s, you know, so much of the yoga. I say the real, the real goal is to take your yoga off the mat and into your everyday life. It’s not so much about touching your toes or doing down dog, you know, although those are great, you know, but, it’s, it’s so much more than that.
The book is great gift for your kids, for your grandkids
Wendy Valentine: You know, I was just thinking too that like this book, it’s. I know we’re past Christmas, past the holidays, but it’s always a good time for a gift. but it’s a great gift like to give to, to. For your kids that have kids, for your grandkids, for your friends that have kids. I mean, it’s really, absolutely.
Lauren Chaitoff: It’s a healthy gift. You know, it’s like I’m such a big. I have a 12 year old who’s in middle school and she’s like the only one that does not have a phone. We have like held really strong.
Wendy Valentine: Good for you.
Lauren Chaitoff: We have help. And I see now the, she’s okay with it now. You know, she, she sees like what her friends, which people always say, oh, but they’re left out, but they’re left out of so many other things that you want them to be left out of. And going back to the book, it’s such a, you know, you’re instilling these healthy habits in children. So, you know, you get them a book, get them a yoga mat, get them a water bottle. You know, you could do a whole wellness package about, you know, loving yourself. Because that’s so important. That’s what we want to teach young girls and boys.
Wendy Valentine: No, I know. It’s funny when you’re talking about the phone because my kids just came out here to Portugal and now that they’re adults, you know, then they tell me all the things that drove them crazy when they were kids. And one of them that, because I was so strict about them not having a phone until they, I think I was. It was either 12 or 13 years old. And they give me a hard time. I’m like, I’m telling you though, it made a difference in your life.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yes.
Wendy Valentine: I believe they are not. They’re really good about picking up the phone and calling. They’re not, they don’t. They’re actually probably better than I am as far as like, they’re not texting and doing it. Like when, when you’re with them, they are with you. They are present. They’re not just on their phones the whole time. So that does make a difference.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah, yeah, I think so. That’s good.
Wendy Valentine: This is so good, Lauren. Thank you.
Lauren Chaitoff: Oh, well, thank you for having me.
Wendy Valentine: So I sound like a mommy, but I’m so proud of you.
Lauren Chaitoff: I appreciate it. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I can’t imagine, like, there’s going to be more coming. I feel beyond the book and beyond. Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: So my word for this year is open. Right. I am just trying to be open and receptive. right. It’s easy to not, I think too, like, just kind of. Yeah. As we get older and are in, like, our midlife. Right. Just not playing small anymore. Right.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah.
Lauren Chaitoff: Go. Going for it, you know, going.
Wendy Valentine: Be open to whatever comes your way. I like it. so where can we find you? And how do we get the book and join the master class?
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah, so you can, you can. You can find me. I, I feel like I’m probably most. We’re on all the things, but I feel like I’m most active on Instagram because we have the largest community there. so we’re Yogi Underscore Beans. You can find us@yogi beans.com and then the master class is yogibeans.com. yes. Oh, nice. Yes. Yogi beans.com. yes. Go for it. Do it. you could sign up for the master class there. Again, totally free. Just a one hour of you’re curious come not going to hurt.
Wendy Valentine: Yes. Just say yes and be open.
Lauren Chaitoff: Be open.
Wendy Valentine: Yeah. I mean, the thing is, no matter what you. If you do anything with it, it’s like you’ll get something out of it.
Lauren Chaitoff: Yeah. I mean, even if you’re just like, oh, I learned something for myself, or I learned something I could share with, like, my. My child, or I learned something I could share with my grandchild. Yeah, it’s going to be a win. Win.
Wendy Valentine: I’m, like, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.
Lauren Chaitoff: All right.
Wendy Valentine: Thank you so much, Lauren.
Lauren Chaitoff: Oh, my pleasure. Thanks for having me, Wendy.
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