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Children's Massage
An
Opportunity for Authentic Touch
Children are tactile. They absorb
life with their entire bodies by hugging, kissing,
tapping, pressing, poking, slapping, caressing, clapping, shoving, holding,
squeezing &
more in order to learn, convey & sense the self. Touch is natural for children
who use it
to explore their surroundings, express their feelings & experience life in the
moment.
We are all aware of the difference
between positive & negative touch, & we have been
vigilant to teach this distinction to our children from an early age.
Children’s massage is
an excellent tool to teach children how to identify their feelings, balance
their emotions
& recognize appropriate & inappropriate touch. It is a means for the child to
connect &
communicate, experience compassion & share an energy exchange with others.
Educating children about positive
touch creates conscious children to respect, support &
care for the self & for one another. Obtaining permission to do a massage is
the first &
most crucial step required in order to participate in the massage. Consent is
an
important component of the massage practice reinforcing that the student must
respect
the other’s feelings to create a healthy & appropriate form of touch. If a
child does not
want a massage, “no” is the proper & accepted response to be valued &
acknowledged.
Extensive research validates the
benefits of massage for children. The
Touch
Research Institute (http://www6.miami.edu/touch-research/Massage.html)
has been a leader in
this work. It studies the effects of touch therapy for all ages & has
established positive
results in multiple domains, including increased attentiveness, to reduced
aggression &
depression, anxiety, pain & more.
A long-term Swedish study evaluated
the results of massage in 4 to 5 year olds who
exhibited aggressive & defiant behavior in day-care centers. The study
concluded that
a daily massage decreased aggressive behavior among the preschool children.
("Massage Decreases Aggression in Preschool Children: A Long-term Study"
from
ACTA Paediatrica Journal; May 2008 ISSN 0803-5253)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18782279
As an Infant Massage instructor,
Reflexologist & Reiki practitioner, I have personally
experienced the transformation one feels when being therapeutically touched & I
have
watched that same transformation in my students. For many years, I have
integrated
back & head massage in my yoga classes, with enthusiastic acceptance &
appreciation
from my students of all ages. As with other types of body work, massage expands
self-
awareness, assists with relaxation & builds on the student’s efforts to take
responsibility
to live a healthy & harmonious life.
I am excited to teach massage to
children, parents, teachers & caregivers so they can
experience the benefits of positive touch as a way of sharing, understanding &
validating feelings. It is my intent that this nurturing & respectful exchange
will ignite
a chain reaction of love & joy from generation to generation.
Massage
in Schools
Children’s Authentic
Touch
is an inspirational program to teach
children 4 – 12 years of
age how to give & receive a massage. This program is designed for children in
childcare, day-care, preschool, kindergarten & elementary school environments.
It is a
structured course on how to massage the back, shoulders, arms & head. Students
remain fully clothed & must exchange permission from each other before the
massage
can begin. This nurturing exchange from child to child takes approximately 30
minutes
per day for a class or group.
Children’s
Authentic Touch program
is advantageous for the child, teacher & school
environment. When children learn the appropriate touch to massage in a gentle,
caring
& positive manner, they are calm & relaxed in the classroom & improve their
social &
emotional well-being. Through massage, anxiety & aggression are diminished, &
concentration, confidence & self worth are enhanced.
The benefits of massage expand from
the individual to classmates, to the teacher, to
the school, to family, to the community & to society to foster healthy &
balanced lives.
Potential Massage Benefits:
-
The child by respecting the self
& in doing so, respecting others; reducing stress
& tension promoting relaxation; building body awareness; improving
concentration; increasing self awareness & self esteem.
-
The teacher by removing
aggression, anxiety & frustration; endorsing empathy &
compassion for all students; supporting unity in the classroom; establishing
good
boundaries & a serene atmosphere; instilling appropriate & consented touch.
-
The school by reducing anger &
violence; cultivating good manners; creating a
friendly setting for the entire school; respecting school materials &
property;
children helping & supporting one another.
-
The parent by spending quality
time with their child; teaching a healthy way to
care for the self; respecting each other; establishing open communication;
identifying & expressing feelings; creating a loving & memorable ritual
established for a lifetime.
Children’s Authentic
Touch
can be structured to fit your
needs at your school in a
variety of ways:
4 – 6 weeks, every other week or
once a month.
4 – 6 week session.
Children’s Authentic
Touch in your school can
promote a constructive, healthy, happy &
fun activity for children. If you are interested in implementing this holistic
program
in your school, contact Jennifer
email to
discuss how Children’s Authentic Touch
fits your needs.
Teacher Training
This hands-on experience expands
personal awareness through the advantage of
touch. Positive touch constructs a
calming & healthy classroom practice for teachers to
implement while working
with children. The relationship between teacher & child
through massage creates
an understanding, respect & practice of appropriate &
authentic touch. This
connection builds teamwork benefiting all.
This workshop is for educational
professionals (preschool & elementary teacher &
college level early childhood
education programs). Learn how to give & receive a
massage in order to teach
students (ages 4 – 12 years of age) how to massage
each other.
Parent Training
Children want your time. Massage is
a healthful way to spend quality time with your
child. When you are relaxed,
your child is relaxed. Giving a massage to your child is a
positive & healthy
practice to implement for life. Sharing time, space & authentic touch
teaches
your child to feel cherished & loved.
This class is for parents interested
in learning how to massage their children.
Family Massage
Explore the benefits & practice of
massage together. Integrate massage in your home
to maintain a healthy practice
from generation to generation. Engage, embrace & enjoy
the moment by gifting
each other time to do massage together. In doing so you are
bonded in a
wholesome activity expressing affection, support, security & respect.
This class is for parent(s) & child
or children (ages 4 & older) to learn
how to massage each other.
Create a Class
The power of authentic touch sparks
self-awareness. Create your own class & learn
how to massage your child and/or
give & receive a massage as a family.
You create an occasion to learn
about massage to fits your needs.
This class is for Mom’s groups, the
PTA as a social event, children’s groups,
gathering
with family & friends, or a celebration.
Jennifer L. Moore is the founder &
creator of MOORE than YOGA.
She is certified in Infant Massage &
is a Reflexologist & Reiki practitioner.
Since 1993 Jennifer has had the
opportunity to share the power of loving touch through
massage from babies to
adults. As a certified yoga instructor, she has integrated
massage in her yoga
classes for children & adults.
If you are interested in Jennifer
teaching at your school, a training workshop, at
an event, or in your home
please
email or call 703-671-2435 for
more information.
Dates, times & prices for your school or event will be
discussed to create a class
structured to fit your needs.
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