Kids & Massage | BAC Massage Therapy

This post was inspired by a recent conversation in my clinic ...

What kids get out of massage is more than you ever imagined!

I periodically get to experience the joy of treating kids in my clinic ... it's not just because I love my career or because I love kids and their honest enthusiasm that brings be such joy, but the knowledge that what I am doing is helping them learn so many bigger things.

You may book a massage for you kids because it's a fun treat, or because they have asked you why you go for massage, or because they have maybe complained about some aches and pains ... but here is what you are actually teaching them by bringing them into my clinic ..

1. Self-Care ... most of us (if you are older than say 35) did not grow up with the example of our parents practicing self care, or if they did it wasn't in a way that us as kids recognized. But by going for regular massage yourself you are showing your kids that taking care of you is important, by talking about why you go you are giving them an idea of how it can help them, and when they ask about it and you book them an appointment you show your kids the very first lessons about taking care of themselves ...... the best example I have of this in our family is when my son was in grade 9, he had gone for acupuncture a handful of times by this point and he asked me to book him an acupuncture treatment just before his exams because he knew they were going to cause him stress, and he knew that both his dad and I go for Acupuncture to manage stress (among other things) ... same applies for massage.
2. That their voice has power ... I see this weird mix in society of wanting to make sure that kids can speak up for themselves and that no or stop means something, but at the same time not wanting them to do it too loudly or say inappropriate things at inappropriate times. Ultimately this sends kids mixed messages and they don't really really realize that they can actually stand up for themselves and what is not ok for them ..... massage teaches them that their voice has the power to change the treatment, to change the pressure, to give you permission to touch them, that an adult will listen to them ..... spoiler alert - adults have this power too during a massage, but some of you forget to use your voice, or are too afraid you will hurt my feelings ... kids don't worry that they are going to hurt your feelings because they ask you to use lighter pressure, they just know that is what I have instructed them to do if they are uncomfortable.
3. Their body, their choice! ... the beginning lessons of consent and touch that they have allowed is so very very important. If a kid comes for treatment and all we do is a foot massage because that's their comfort level, then that is exactly what we do. Even though skin on skin massage may be best, if they are not ok taking off their shirt then we do the treatment over their clothing. Whatever their level of comfort, that's what we work with.
4. To listen to what their bodies are telling them ... so many humans have become disconnected from our bodies, and I think it is partially because we are not taught from a young enough age to listen to what it tells us, or an adult has told us to suck it up / brush it off / or that it's in our heads because it is inconvenient for the adult ... now I'm sure that statement has made some of you uncomfortable, but hang on for a second ... what if you caught and stopped a headache because you recognized the tension in your neck and sought out treatment quickly before it went to a full blown tension headache or worse a migraine? If we can understand the beginning whispers from our bodies that something is off then we can seek out proper assessment and treatment before it becomes a major problem. .... I actually think that tiny humans are great at this, they are hungry so they eat, they are tired so they lay down and sleep, they need to pee they don't hold it until it is convinent, etcetera ... if we can foster this maybe we can raise a generation of body wise humans.
5. To learn where their bodies hold tension ... no matter how big or small of a human you are, our bodies all hold tension, stiffness, soreness, and strain in the same way ... teaching your kids to understand that their upper back is feeling sore because the muscles are tight because they have been sitting in some pretty F-ed up postures is SOOOO important! Just as important as it is for you to learn the same thing ... Massage teaches them what their body feels like when muscles are relaxed so they are then able to identify what tension feels like, it also gives them feedback and a connection between what they are feeling in their bodies and where I can physically feel the tension ... you would not believe how many adults ask me if an area feels tense then reply with "ok good, so it's not all in my head"!
6. How to let go and relax ... knowing how to let go and relax goes hand in hand with understanding where you hold tension ... I seriously had a client years ago that it literally took the first 30 minutes of a 60 minute massage to get them to relax enough so that I could do any real work on their muscles ... teaching kids how to relax goes a long way in showing them how to manage stress and tension, anxiety and worry, and so much more that they will encounter in life.
7. That someone is listening to them and hearing them ... If you have ever sat in on a massage with your child (I encourage this particularly for younger kiddos) you can attest to the fact that we have some pretty wild conversations during a 15 minute treatment, and the laughter and giggles are infectious ... but what it is showing your child is that an adult cares enough about what they have to say to ask them more, to remember that they love horses or race snowmobiles or what their favourite sport is, to ask them about their day and what the best part was, to ask them what book they are reading or video game they love ... it makes them feel important and that what they have to say is important and what they do is important, and really don't we all want that?? 
8. That their wellbeing is important ... If you are anything like me, you have a pretty good read on your kids and how they are feeling. You can just tell when something is off ... if I couldn't do this I never would have figured out that my daughter was being bullied which triggered a whole cascade things including massage, acupuncture, counselling, meditation classes, and changing schools when the old school didn't support her. ..... so if you feel like something is just off with your kids, ask them, listen to them, and seek treatment and support for them. If they are complaining about growing pains massage and aromatherapy can help. Sports wear and tear, massage can help. Anxiety and stress, massage can help. Doing whatever you can to help them shows them that their wellbeing is important, and if it is important for mom and dad to pay attention to it is important for them as kids to pay attention to as well. One last note on this one ... if your kids ask for massage book it, they have asked for a reason, so don't brush them off because it doesn't fit with your summer plans. Find a way to make it work!
9. That you understand the toll their chosen sport takes on their bodies ... basically if athletics hurt your body, they can hurt your kids too ... have you ever tried standing on demi pointe (in ballet as high up onto the flat of your toes as you can go before you go en pointe)??? It takes the exact same muscles for me to balance in this position as it does my daughter, I just have more body mass and height to balance. Trust me when I say I fully understand why my daughter periodically complains about sore feet or tight calves; particularly when participating in a week-long camp ..... So if there is a big competition, or tournament, intensive camp that your kids are participating in try booking them a massage for just after (or just before and just after), and ask me about what self-care they can do before, during and after. Or better still encourage them to ask me what self care they can be doing ... this will empower them to take a lead in their wellness.

Ok, so I will step back down off my soapbox now ... as you can probably guess I am pretty passionate about what I do and what it can teach all humans tiny, small, and full grown. 

I hope that this inspires you to seek treatment for your kids, or learn how to do self and partner massage at home (yes I can teach you that too) ... try doing a massage trade with your kids, they might surprise you with how intuitive they are to your needs.

​Be well!