I remember the exact moment our family started using yoga as a tool for comfort and self-control for our son. 

It was a 30-hour travel day and we had just landed back in the States at Miami International Airport. Our trip took many unexpected twists and turns, and we were grateful (and amazed) our then four-year-old had rolled with it. The line, a mile long, to re-enter the US was daunting and it was hours past all of our bedtimes. 

I saw my son begin to wiggle and I knew "it" was coming. I wasn't sure if we were in for a meltdown, a tantrum, or what, but I knew it was going to be a rough moment. We had worked so hard to not use screen time as a crutch, and we were in the home stretch. He was itching for positive stimulation. Instinctually, I blurted "tree pose." And like a deer in headlights, my son looked at me and then the ground and positioned himself into a pose on the small space in front of him. 

Then I remembered some tricks from occupational therapy and started picking yoga poses that would mimic those effects. Eagerly, my son did the poses alongside me—as I challenged him with one after the other. About 20 minutes later he was calm and relaxed. He told me his body felt good. My husband and I avoided an airport meltdown.

Over the next few years he and I experimented with different flows. Children are such natural yogis and it was such a joy to do this together! What grew out of it is Yoga for Littles. Check it out for yourself!