to let Dd do headstands

[haveabreakhaveakitkat]

Dd likes doing head stands. She watches TV on her head, usually on the sofa with her legs up the wall. She's very relaxed like that.

Dh hates it. He thinks she'll damage her brain. I remember doing this when I was a child too. I'd do them against the wall in the garden for ages. I'm pretty sure my brain is undamaged!

Is dh BU? Should I agree with him and make her get down after a few minutes?

ISTR that if you suddenly take up yoga as an unfit middleaged person then you can raise your risk of stroke by doing headstands and dislodging clots that go to your brain.....but if your daughter is under 20 I strongly doubt that will be any increased risk for her at all.

i spent most of my childhood sitting upside down. i found it rather relaxing

No acrobatics allowed in our living room but yes, hours i spent upside down. Either watching tele or reading on my bed. It's self limiting, I remember my head starting to hurt. So I'd stop!

Is that his medically-qualified opinion?

I stand on my head most days, yoga tradition says it is very good for you. Boosts blood flow to the brain so stimulates it. Refreshing and revitalising to the nervous system. Boosts the hormonal system, and immune system.

Legs up the wall is very good for tired legs, and also softens the abdomen so relives tension in the belly.

However, if you mean she is lying on the sofa with her neck bent back off the edge, then I am concerned - that's not great for the neck and all the delicate infrastucture it carries. Especially if she snaps her head forward quickly when getting up. Headstands good, legs up good, but neck bent back (in my non-medical opinion) bad.

She's 8. Maybe I should encourage a cushion on the floor rather than on the sofa? She certainly looks really relaxed.

My 8yo dd has no hope then, she's rarely the correct way up . If she's not doing head stands, she's cartwheeling down the street .

I'm sure it's fine.

Unless she is under 4.5 to 5 then it is fine.In gymnastics we don't do headstands with pre-schoolers incase their necks are not strong enough.

I'm sure her brain will be fine, but maybe not so good for her neck. Has she been taught how to do them properly?

She did gymnastics for a year so I think she's doing it properly. Like I said, she's really relaxed so it can't be hurting, sometimes I have to check she's not asleep!