Distracting Children, positive solutions?

[Guest guest]

During my earliest of Amma satsang days, just prior to the official

tour stop addition of DC, there was only 1 Amma satsang to go to, and

was very poorly attended. One reason for poor attendance was the

distracting children of one of the devotees, who I had heard was

asked to stop attending a local SSB group for the same reason. My

first reaction, like when I hear a bad singer, is to overcome it and

see the positive. However, it doesn't over-ride the Adharma of the

actions, especially because newer people can't be expected to do

this, ruining their experience. The Solution my friend came up with

was to coordinate with the parent to take turns taking the kids out

into the hall (apartment building) to keep them busy, but they were

still tapping things during the silent meditation, etc. when

present. It didn't necessarily bring back devotees, but it was at

least a positive effort.

 

The other occasions I noticed distracting children is in the behavior

of the parent(s). The parents "become like a child" at satsang and

let their kid(s) run loose when they ordinarily would be the

parent. Even at the Krishna Das concert I went to, the kids were

running up and down the bleachers, and one guy was letting his kid

run back and forth in the stage area creating a distraction. Lots

of "I blame that on bad parenting" remarks could be heard.

 

tom