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Wellbeing

Jul 05
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girls' ballet class

Studio to stage

By dance & Art, Exercise, fun for children, Mental health, Music and singing, play, Relationships, Sport, Wellbeing
by Lynda Forster
Dance Art Studio

Preparing to perform a dance on stage is a journey of commitment and dedication, bringing hours of practise to life, bringing sheer joy to the audience and an experience like no other for the dancer.

Lots of little girls and boys express an interest to start dance classes. They have no inhibitions, a natural sense of rhythm and love to dance ‘like no one is watching’ when they hear a tune. Many skip into their first class without ever looking back to their parents, whilst others, with the help of their teacher, need a few lessons to gently ease into it building their confidence with each lesson.

Dance classes have many benefits at all ages which can really help set children up for life. Children can be faced with lots of worries and upsets during their school life so having a hobby they love and a safe place to go is, at times, a huge relief.

For preschoolers a dance class will open up a whole new world – they will soon be able to isolate different parts of their bodies to move separately (a huge plus for co-ordination) and develop better overall concentration. Infant children will develop these skills in more depth, and will soon be able to raise their hand and be more involved in their school lessons because they’ve learnt participation within a dance class. Once assemblies and seasonal performances at school come round they’ll be happily volunteering for the lead parts!

At junior school, being a dancer will teach them to be physically and mentally stronger, gain more flexibility through their bodies and learn ‘time management’ to help manage academia and extra circular activities more easily which in turn will help with their all important and busy social life, with their school and dance friends – lots of parties to go to!

Starting senior school can be overwhelming for many children but most schools have a dance department where they can share their interests, make new friends and start showcasing their dance and creative skills in performances. Overall they will be confident, happier and more active teenagers. If their dance school has an exam option, they would have taken plenty of them since they were young, so again they will have learnt essential life skills; the purpose of working towards something to the best of their personal ability, revision skills, commitment skills and the experience of actually taking an exam, so hopefully the GCSE exam room will not feel as daunting.

Performing in their first dance show is where all the skills mentioned above unfold. They’ve had to work hard and wait patiently for their moment. Seeing the excitement build in the lead up to a dance school show makes all the months of hard work and effort by the teacher and the performers so worthwhile.

When practise starts for their first performance it is impossible for young children to visualise the finished piece and understand why repetition is so vital. By the time they reach dress rehearsal day, when it all comes together and the buzz is palpable, they completely understand and in fact start asking for more rehearsals so that they can work on their performance skills. At this stage they really understand it’s a team effort and they all become such close friends. Reassurance about having nerves is spoken about in a positive way by explaining about the fight or fight mode our bodies go into. It is a journey from start to finish, with them seeing how choreographers create their work from a starting point through to the finished piece. Their eyes are opened to new styles, techniques and interpretations to various music style. If the show has a theme, they have gained knowledge on the narrative and learnt how the whole production blends together.

The costumes are an extension of the dance and compliment choreography – after a couple of shows even the youngest dancers start to develop an eye for detail and will soon say if a costume isn’t quite looking right or needs an accessory added! It’s an opportunity for all the various ages to come together to inspire and support each other.

So many emotions are experienced during performance day, the excitement and happiness on their faces when they are waiting in the wings to go on stage is joyful. The nervous excitement transforms into electric energy and then the thrill of the applause which of course they love embracing!

Confident children leave the theatre feeling very proud of themselves and will hopefully remember the whole experience for many years. When they return to regular grade lessons they have a positive approach, more motivation and an understanding that you gain more from things by giving your best. A truly valuable life lesson.

Dance Art Studio is located in the Fiveways and Preston Park area of Brighton offering pre-school ballet and dance for 3-4 year olds and graded ballet, tap, modern theatre dance and street as well as boys only tap and jazz. Exams and performance opportunities. We also hold holiday workshops. www.danceartstudio.co.uk

Jul 02
Love0
homeopathy for children

Why think homeopathy for your family?

By baby health, children's health, Health, Wellbeing
by Ann Grain SDSH, R.Hom.Int.
Registered Homeopath

Being a parent can be the most rewarding and also the most worrying experience, especially when it comes to your children’s health and wellbeing. No parent wants to see their child in pain or suffering. But instead of automatically contacting your GP surgery, how about also considering an alternative?

Homeopathy is an alternative – it is a holistic system of medicine that uses highly diluted substances found in nature to trigger the body’s own healing abilities. As a medical system, it can provide useful support throughout the many stages of childhood.

Why choose homeopathy
There are many reasons why parents across the world choose this medicine for their family, including:
1. It’s safe
Remedies are highly diluted and therefore considered safe, making them suitable for youngsters who may be more sensitive to the potential side effects of conventional medicine.
2. It’s gentle
Homeopathy takes a gentle approach to healing. Babies often respond quickly to homeopathic treatment and these are easy to administer as drops.
3. It’s holistic
It treats the whole person rather than an organ or label.
4. It can be taken alongside conventional medication or as an alternative.

How does homeopathy work?
Homeopathy is highly individualised and as a functional medicine it comprehensively considers all aspects of your child’s health. It also seeks to focus on identifying and addressing the root cause of disease.

The homeopath’s task is to select a remedy/medicine which matches not only their physical symptoms, but also their emotional and mental characteristics. Each symptom may be one of many contributing to their complaint.

The remedy chosen by the practitioner is determined individually for each child in their specific situation; it is therefore not possible to say that a particular condition will always respond to a specific remedy.

Homeopathy is effective in dealing with a number of complaints – from symptoms of colic, teething, allergies, childhood infections, skin conditions to behavioural issues, tantrums – the list is endless.

A case study
A mother contacted me about her three year old son; he had now had a paroxysmal cough for more than four weeks – he couldn’t stop coughing at particular times of day and night. He was wheezing and he sounded breathless. The cough was keeping him awake and was causing him to vomit repeatedly. He was congested, couldn’t breathe through his nose. The medical advice was to take Paracetamol.

His specific symptoms and also his response to his specific symptoms (what made his symptoms better or worse) led me to one remedy. I gave him two doses and the message from his mother came back loud and clear – her son was no longer coughing at night, he sounded much better, no wheezing – “He was fine”.

What to expect
When you go to a homeopath, he or she will take your child’s case and will, from that, establish what the susceptibilities are, what stresses are most likely to bring about illnesses and what parts of your child’s body are weakest.

This better understanding of your children through homeopathy should further enhance your relationship with them and help you understand their vulnerabilities and how best to support them through difficult times.

The homeopath may also advise you to seek help from your GP if symptoms require further investigation, whilst continuing to provide complementary support with homeopathy.

As a parent, you want to provide your family with the foundation for a healthy and happy life. Homeopathy can play an instrumental part in supporting their growth and development – why not give it a go?

A brief history of homeopathy
The first known use of homeopathy-like treatment was by the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates, in the 5th century. The approach was then discovered by a German doctor, Dr Samuel Hahnemann, in the 1790s who was looking for a way to reduce the damaging side effects associated with the medical treatment of his day. In its present form homeopathy has been used worldwide for over 200 years.

Ann Grain SDSH, R.Hom.Int. is a registered Homeopath based in Horsham, West Sussex. www.thinkhomeopathy.co.uk
Email: ann@thinkhomeopathy.co.uk or call 07861 376 844.

Mar 02
Love0
trampolining fun

The surprising benefits of trampolining

By children's health, Exercise, family, fun for children, Mental health, parties, Playing, Wellbeing
by Sandra Zerr
Head of Marketing, AirHop Group

Trampolining isn’t just fun, it’s good for you too. Exercising regularly not only improves physical health, but mental health as well. And, unlike most other forms of exercise, it doesn’t feel like hard work yet it’s still effective. Bouncing on a trampoline or in a trampoline park can burn up to 1,000 calories per hour! Read on to find out more about some of the surprising benefits that visiting an indoor trampoline park can bring to both your body and mind, whatever your age.

Exercising on a trampoline is three times more effective at burning calories than jogging whilst being lower impact on your joints and limbs. Just ten minutes on a trampoline burns as many calories as half an hour of jogging. The bouncy surface of a trampoline is much kinder on the joints that experience a lot of stress and impact when running, such as your knees and ankles. Stop plodding along the pavement and start bouncing instead, it’s a low impact activity that provides you with really good high impact results!

Research has shown that there is a positive link between physical activity and improved mental health, and what better way to exercise than in a trampoline park!

Exercise can help to reduce stress in the body and release endorphins. These are your body’s feel-good chemicals, so you’ll happily come back for more bouncing! So take a break from your screens and social media and go for a bounce! A couple of hours in a trampoline park will tire you out whilst having fun at the same time, helping to improve your mood and your sleep.

Bouncing is a great way to improve your co-ordination and balance, as well as increasing your spatial awareness. Trampolining requires balance and adjustments of the body to stay in the centre of the trampoline and get a good bounce! The other activities found in trampoline parks – like the wipeout zone, battle beams, assault course, or reaction wall – all challenge your reaction times, physical ability, balance, and strength in different ways.

Every jump uses multiple muscle groups. Bouncing requires the muscles in your glutes, legs, back, and core to be tensed and relaxed repeatedly, giving you a full body workout, and increasing your strength over time. It’s also an aerobic exercise, so your circulation is greatly improved. As you jump, your muscles contract and help the heart push greater quantities of oxygen around the body. So you’ll feel fitter and better in other areas of your life after time spent in a trampoline park!

We’ve found the cure to growing older! Or slowed it down at least – because jumping works in unison with your body’s natural detox system, better known as the lymphatic system, the system responsible for removing dead cells and toxins from the body. Exercising in a trampoline park stimulates lymphatic circulation, promoting a healthy metabolism and helping to burn fat more effectively.

Visiting a trampoline park isn’t just for children, it’s the perfect active day out for the whole family! It’s a great way to spend time together and there are activities for all ages and abilities, not just trampolines! Indoor trampoline parks often have obstacle courses, airbags or foam pits to jump into and practise tricks, battle beams to challenge your friends and family, or reaction games to test your reflexes. Whether you are four or 54, there is an activity for you that will leave you with a big smile on your face.

Students can take a break from the books; swap times tables for trampolines, algebra for airbags, the whiteboard for wipeout, and enjoy a much-needed study break at an indoor trampoline park! They are also the perfect venue for sober socials and even corporate team building events, with a range of different activities to suit everyone and the physical element and fun environment helping to break the ice. Ice breakers without the cringe!

Some of these benefits may have surprised you but they certainly show that the pleasure of going to a trampoline park shouldn’t be restricted to just children; all ages will benefit whilst having a huge amount of fun!

AirHop Adventure & Trampoline Parks run 17 parks throughout the UK providing a fun and active day out for the whole family with sessions for all ages and capabilities. www.airhop.co.uk

 

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