Pinatas, Ahimsa, and Charity

I take a small departure from the purely yogic world to talk about something that came up for me at my son's 6th birthday party yesterday.

Instead of a traditional candy filled pinata, we filled one with 720 ping pong balls, and told the kids that when the goodies fell out of the pinata, they were to collect whatever they wanted, and then put them in any of six boxes around the party site - 2 each for charities that Eli picked out. Ever ball was worth five cents toward that chartiy. Children were welcome to take some home as well. Though Eli thought the kids would be upset there was no candy, then scramble to shove ping pong balls into pockets and shirts and hands and pants seemed to entertain them well enough, as well as playing "basketball" tossing the balls into the boxes.

I was pleased with my cool new idea, saving quite a bit of money by not buying candy, and sparing parents and kids the sugar hang-over as well as reducing the "gimme more candy" scramble the invariably leaves some kids crying.

But it turns out my new "trend" isn't so new... at some point in history, pinatas were used to help children learn religious lessons, with one of them being Charity. From the interwebs ""Finally the piñata symbolized ‘Caridad’, Charity. With its eventual breaking, everyone shared in the divine blessings and gifts." (see http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/459-history-of-the-pi%C3%B1ata).

Which brings me to my point. With these sweet and celebratory roots of the tradition, it pains me to see children elbowing one another to get at the candy. Which is why did the HUGE quantity of ping pong balls AND made the kids use a wiffle bat (so that more kids had a chance to play, and EVERYONE would get prizes).

But I started to question the practice in general when I saw that children that were having a difficult time NOT punching and hitting the pinata long before we were playing the game because they KNEW (well, assumed) that there was a ton of candy inside. I heard them say they "couldn't wait" and "I really want to SMASH it" That bothered me. A Lot. I mean, it's just a little game that sometimes gets you some candy - why was it jacking them up so damn much?

When the game started it was innocent enough. But some kids were so riled up, they tried to use the bat to tear the pinata from its hangar, tried to punch through the bottom and stab at it with the bat. Then when the first gifts fell from our pinata, a few grabbed at it and started to aggressively tear the panels open so they could dump out the contents. And then it got ugly (uglier) - kids on the ground having fun picking up the ping pong balls, but what I was drawn to watching were the few that tore the darn thing down from the tree, using hands, feet and the bad to beat it into submission, to absolutely dismember it. When the ball gathering had completed, the (battle) ground was littered with little yellow streamer paper and shreads of cardboard, dirtied and damp, he whole thing discarded and dismissed, as they all went on the enjoy the party.

I'm being a bit (ok, a lot) dramatic here, but what I felt when I watched this take place was a complete oxymoron of emotions. One the one hand, the charity experiment was WORKING - kids were loving the game, parents were loving the game, and there was much joy as balls rolled all over the grass so kids were spread out and NOT climbing on top of one another.

On the other hand, I felt a sinking failure as a parent: that my son and his sweet friends would participate in a mob that was bent on destroying something innocent. That platiutdes like "oh kids will be kids" and "they need to get their aggression out on something" were running through my mind and uttered by others. That I created a scenario that encouraged aggression and unregulated release of it through destruction. That I had tried to teach Tzedakah (charity) and Tikkum Olum (healing the world) but Ahimsa (kindness/non harming) had been lost - or at least misinterpreted.

I should have said "please do NOT get all Lord of the Flies on the pinata - once it opens we'll get the goodies out but we will NOT be tearing the thing apart limb from limb." I should have, but I didn't. I didn't want to be that parent that ran into a feverish group of children yelling "STOP" and (probably) not being heard, because, well, "everyone does this."

When did this trend to "grab the goods and then tear that thing limb from limb" start? And why do we... why did *I* ....let it continue?

Studies show that even young children can be easily led to participate in mob mentality (https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=mob+mentality+children+studies&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart&sa=X&ved=0CBwQgQMwAGoVChMIiamBvP33xwIVgtSACh1YjQxP)

And as adults we engage in it all the time in SEEMINGLY harmless ways: sporting events, rock concerts, piolitcal rallies. How often do WE just let our "spiritedness" out in what might be a less than savory manner - how often to we show our children it's ok to act out, to lash out, to lose self control, as long as (you think) it's not harming anyone, or if there is a reward (candy?).

Anyway, I'm more than pleased that in the end, a few kids really really liked the message, as did my friends. And i know that it's just a pinata, really I do. But the issue of "what do we teach when we aren't paying (enough) attention" seems to be something to which I'll certainly (try to )be paying more attention.

Two Yoga Events and MORE this Spring/Summer

Just trying to gather up some good info to pass on about Yoga and Health and Family related events this Spring. Thank you SoCalKidsSanDiego.com and San Diego Coast Life being such AMAZING resources!

April 13 at the Del mar Fairgrounds is the Hullaballoo Family Music Festival!

April 13 is the El Cajon Library Multicultural Family Fiesta that celebrates the cultural diversity of its community and customers. The event will feature a wide variety of entertainment, international refreshments donated by more than 30 restaurants and markets, and an information fair.

April 13 and 14 Healthy Living Festival at the Del Mar Fair - Free Admission

April 20 is Suzie's (organic) Farm Strawberry Jam: a fun, family-oriented farm experience focused on everyone’s favorite summer fruit. Strawberry Jam kicks off Suzie’s Farm “Event Season,” which will be hosted at their new property Suzie’s at Sunset, on Saturday, April 20, 2013 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

April 21 at Legoland and April 28 at NTC Liberty Station: SDCCU Walk MS - a wonderful set of events for a wonderful (and close to my heart cause). Walk, or just wander around the event to see what happens when people come together! You may even be inspired to sign up for the 50 mile MS Challenge Walk coming end of September!

April 27/28 is San Diego Kids Expo and HAPA yoga will be there, with yours truly and the lovely Jules Kirkiby to demo kids yoga at 11AM and 3PM. Hapa has tickets for $5 for adults (kids are free).

May 5 KIDSFEST San Diego Liberty Station, NTC Promenade, San Diego, CA
KidsFest will transform the NTC Promenade in Point Loma into a 100,000-square-foot wonderland of pure, uncomplicated play for the entire family, with activities designed to stimulate and celebrate the imagination.

May 18 Yoga for Hope San Diego - Do yoga, raise money for City of Hope - join local and national renown teachers like Bonnie Jones and Seane Corn to OM and support Cit of Hope!