Lesson series
Watch and listen our interview with Jen.
Write your awesome label here.
Name: Jen Cooper
Lives: Hong Kong
Lives: Hong Kong
What do you teach? Infant massage, baby yoga and toddler yoga.
How long have you been an instructor? I’ve just celebrated one year in business.
What made you want to become an instructor? I gave birth in lockdown, which was a uniquely isolating experience. I found myself feeling lost, alone and scared with a new baby I didn’t feel confident in caring for. After being diagnosed with postnatal depression, my health visitor offered me an infant massage course at home, as part of my treatment. The course was life changing and I was finally able to bond with my daughter through the powerful medium of touch.
Once baby classes opened again in Scotland I signed up for every one I could, driving up to an hour to attend. Meeting other mums, finding purpose for my days and growing in confidence as parent was exactly what I needed. It transformed my experience of motherhood.
Having learnt the impact that baby classes can have on vulnerable women, I decided to bring warm, welcoming and friendly classes (that are still purposeful) to Hong Kong. Such services are less common here and there is still a social pressure to love every moment of motherhood. I trained with TBAB and got to work right away!
Have you always been an instructor? I was a teacher for 10 years before this.
What’s your favourite part of your job? I love networking with other businesses and coming up with unique and creative events with them. For instance, I’ve joined up with a local postnatal fitness instructor to run combination mummy workout and baby yoga classes.
How do you keep your skills up to date? Do you have any favourite websites that you use? I read books on infant massage, yoga and sensory play. I have found some really interesting books on motor development in my local library which have given me even more ideas.
What qualities do you think are important in an instructor? Adaptability, creativity, flexibility. We need to be able to respond to the group as we’re teaching and adjust our lesson plans accordingly. For instance, if a group of babies are all really struggling, we might choose to incorporate a different massage than we had planned or move on to some sensory play. This is where being trained in multiple skills comes in very useful!
What benefits do you derive from teaching? I get to see and cuddle lots of beautiful babies from birth to 3 years old! It’s the best job in the world.
Have you learnt anything surprising about baby massage / yoga / toddler yoga? I’m always freshly amazed by the benefits and power of infant massage, every time I look into it. I was recently asked to speak at an event for pregnant women and, in compiling the relevant research I was blown away all over again by the incredible impact that infant massage can have. It really is a super power! As a parent said to me in my class yesterday: “I have decided that these sessions are magic”.
What’s your top tip for other instructors? Take yourself seriously as a professional. Don’t let society dictate how you see yourself and your business. When I tell people what I do I have noticed an assumption that our business is a bit fluffy or frivolous. That couldn’t be further from the truth. We are doing great work to help new mums who may be struggling and to build a solid foundation for healthy development for the babies in our classes. Stand up tall as a professional and refuse to be underestimated!
How do you cope with competition in your business? My approach to competition is “be different, not better”. I always try to reach out to competing businesses to foster a friendly relationship, rather than a competitive one. Even when meeting up with businesses that seem on the surface to be too similar to me, we’ve always found key differences in how we work and come to agreements about passing customers on to one another. For instance, I know a lady who teaches toddler and kids yoga – as do I. I was recently approached to run a mindfulness workshop for 6 year olds at a local school. I felt this was better suited to her and the particular style she brings to classes, so I passed on the information to her and she won the contract. She’s since recommended me to clients and we give out each other’s flyers at our events. A collaborative approach to business is much nicer and more productive for everybody!
What are your plans for the future? I’m excited to say that I am so busy that my workload is becoming unsustainable! I’m currently in the process of screening a new member of staff to join my team and will start training her through TBaB in the coming months. My ultimate ambition is to have my own venue, possibly with a soft play area, where I can create a family hub for parents and children.
How do you cope with competition in your business? My approach to competition is “be different, not better”. I always try to reach out to competing businesses to foster a friendly relationship, rather than a competitive one. Even when meeting up with businesses that seem on the surface to be too similar to me, we’ve always found key differences in how we work and come to agreements about passing customers on to one another. For instance, I know a lady who teaches toddler and kids yoga – as do I. I was recently approached to run a mindfulness workshop for 6 year olds at a local school. I felt this was better suited to her and the particular style she brings to classes, so I passed on the information to her and she won the contract. She’s since recommended me to clients and we give out each other’s flyers at our events. A collaborative approach to business is much nicer and more productive for everybody!
What are your plans for the future? I’m excited to say that I am so busy that my workload is becoming unsustainable! I’m currently in the process of screening a new member of staff to join my team and will start training her through TBaB in the coming months. My ultimate ambition is to have my own venue, possibly with a soft play area, where I can create a family hub for parents and children.
Thank you Jen. It's impossible not to feel inspired and impressed by all that Jen has achieved. There's lots to take away whether you're an instructor already, a student midway through your course or someone considering a course. To find out more about Jen's activities you can take a look at her online presence:
Website
Website
Copyright © 2024
Created with
