We recently connected with Krista Gordon and have shared our conversation below.

Krista, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

Of course. It all started from being a parent of two children with anxiety and sensory processing issues.

At times it is overwhelming, at other times it is rewarding, and the fact that every day is different makes parenting quite the journey! When my oldest was entering kindergarten and my youngest started to show really big emotions I felt so unprepared in how to parent them.

I had lots of questions like where was the playbook for this? Why couldn’t I help them? Why did I feel lost? Why was nothing I tried working?

I felt helpless at times and wanted to change the trajectory of my relationship with my kids so I started asking questions, I started researching, I started empowering myself with information about systems and senses.

I learned that even though my children’s diagnoses are the same, the way they process information and move through the world is very different. One is a sensory seeker and one is a sensory avoider. One can go into fight mode really quickly and the other tends to freeze. But what exactly did all that mean and how could I use that information to help them? Well, that is what led me to becoming a kid’s yoga instructor!

My journey in gaining knowledge about movement, mindfulness, breathing and leading with compassion changed how I viewed my children’s behavior. I had years of getting triggered when my children’s impulsivity or anxiety grew, and that pattern was what was overwhelming me.

I was triggered because I wasn’t looking at the world through their lens, I was looking at it through my own.

I started to recognize that their actions were in direct correlation to how they felt. The more out of control they were on the outside showed that they were completely disconnected and out of control on the inside.

When play or imagination was a part of my interaction with them the less power struggle we had and the connection was stronger.

This is who I am as a parent and this is why I founded Tranquil Little One, LLC. All children are worthy of feeling comfortable in their body and mind and if they are having an off day they deserve to feel empowered with tools to help them.

Parenting is a journey and meeting our child “where they are at” can be difficult at times, but it’s is my mission to help parents gain knowledge and tools that they can have on the ready. I want to shift our focus from challenging issues to positive insights.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

To start off I will say that I don’t believe in “difficult children” and I recognize that from a parenting perspective that might be a different point of view. I really want to help parents create the healthy relationship with their child they deeply desire. It’s a huge part of the why of what I do! Each child is worthy of a thriving life no matter what they are experiencing and each adult is worthy of leading with their heart, taking back control and creating a different next step.

I developed a way to work one on one with the child, talk through what support the parent needs, and together we can develop coping strategies & personalized tools to shift the focus from challenging issues to positive insights.

Let’s shift the perspective and start to see your child differently! Doing this has changed my life and my family and my wish is to help as many families as possible do this too!

In my private support program I utilize a 4 pronged holistic approach that helps me provide tailored strategies to empower the parent & the child through proven techniques, mindfulness, nervous-system regulation and more.

The Judgement Free Zone is so important in this process. Each child, each parent, each story is different and comes with unique circumstances. I am a safe space, who will listen, observe, support and not judge. I am a mom of two children with challenges of their own and I understand how overwhelming parenting can be at times.

Movement is the core of what I do. Intentional movements can help your kid feel more balanced, stronger and coordinated in both their body & mind. Intentional movement provides input to systems & senses that assist with nervous-system regulation. Moving in patterns helps organize the mind while promoting focus, concentration & building strength.

Mindfulness doesn’t have to be meditation and we can make it simple and fun! I teach your child to practice present-moment-thinking. To activate their senses and look within their body for signs when certain emotions occur. I offer fun strategies to use as a healthy distraction for your child’s racing mind.

Breathing needs to be practiced and learned. Deep breathing can become an essential skill your child utilizes in moments of need. In our work together, I show them fun and effective ways to make deep breathing easy & accessible — even when they’re stressed. Your child will discover how their breath can help them feel more in control and empowered.

Located in MetroWest, MA has allowed me the opportunity to also teach in local studios, school & wellness centers bringing the joy and fun of movement and mindfulness to kiddos as young as 6 weeks old and all the way up to Teens. I believe children learn through play and so each class of mine is designed to engage kiddos in a fun playful way as I introduce their body to movement & mindfulness. They have no idea they are building a practice as they have fun and use their imagination! It’s honestly the best “job” ever and it really never feels like a “job” at all!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients for me is word of mouth. I have a strong referral base from schools, parents and from my current students. When kiddos cheer as I walk into their classroom because it is Yoga day, directors of schools share that news with others in their networks. When a family finds something that helps them connect with their kiddo to achieve either co-regulation or regulation on their own they tend to share the news with other families who are looking for a new and different way to support their child. When a kiddo takes class with me and has so much fun they can’t wait to return and they share that excitement with a friend. Class size tends to grow. Their experience of working with me and being a part of the playful atmosphere I create makes them want to spread the word!

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being creative is my lesson planning and how that built my teaching philosophy and style!

Yoga (the practice of uniting body, mind and breath) can be taught to children in a way that is playful, engaging and creative. I do my best to take the principal and practice and turn it into something engaging, fun and creative that is developmentally appropriate for the kiddos in the room.

My goal is to provide opportunities for kiddos to
*move in a variety of ways
*practice mindful awareness
*learn breathing techniques
*go over brain organization strategies
*assist in regulating the vestibular system and proprioceptive system
*practice crossing the midlines for connection
*working on building core strength and physical literacy.

I am so lucky to work in schools for the entire school year and I develop and create lesson plans for all types of learners. Each class is carefully planned to be specific to the physical, social/emotional, cognitive, gross motor and fine motor development of the students in the room at that particular time. All classes are put together in a way where sections are repeated to reinforce learning while other portions are different or unique to keep each lesson engaging. As I create lesson plans I pay attention to all types of learning styles making sure visual learners, auditory learners and kinesthetic learners each have a chance to feel seen & heard. As I build out the yearly plan for themes or activities I make certain that each Theory of Multiple Intelligences (Linguistic, Mathematical, Kinesthetic, Musical, Spatial, Naturalist, Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Existential & Moral) are touched upon in developmentally appropriate ways. Classes are filled with play! Yoga can be loud, Yoga can be silly, Yoga can be still, Yoga can be mindful, Yoga can be a collaboration, Yoga can be teamwork, Yoga can be independent…Yoga can be so many things but for children it is reinforced by play in every class!

Creating these lesson plans is so much fun and the heart and soul of what I do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tranquillittleone.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tranquillittleone/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tranquillittleone

Image Credits
Alyssa Chamberlain Photography and Earth & Aerial Yoga Studios Christine McShane Photography LLC, D/B/A Christine McShane Creative