Baha'i Views: On Raising Kids to Be Resilient: Baha'i class an alternative to boxing class

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

On Raising Kids to Be Resilient: Baha'i class an alternative to boxing class

The most popular sport in America is football. It can be pretty violent. I hate that players get hurt. Especially children.

Boxing used to be popular. (Think the Gillette Friday night fights.) Boxing has been replaced in popularity by mixed martial arts, which is arguably more violent.

We want children to be resilient, accustomed to hardship, fighting through difficulties. Some will argue that boxing and football teach that.

But at what point does sport cease to be sport and just become violence, mayhem.

Here's Lisa's story from yesterday. She's changed the names. I'm posting this. Baha'i children's classes can change lives. Save lives. -gw

What every believer, new or old, should realize is that the Cause has the spiritual power to re-create us if we make the effort to let that power influence us, and the greatest help in this respect is prayer. We must supplicate Bahá'u'lláh to assist us to overcome the failings in our own characters, and also exert our own will power in mastering ourselves.

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 115)

One of the boys in my neighborhood (will call him Dee) along with two boys in our children's class ( call them A and B) had starting attending a "boxing class".

One day after children's class i heard alot of ruckus outside and looked out to see the boys along with their dad's boxing in the alley -- no head protection - nothing-- i felt like i was watching a pit bull fight - my heart fell - and i was seriously PISSED A-B's dad had just gotten out of 2 years in prison Dee's dad's had just gotten out of long stay in jail and are okay Dads- they are trying to be role models in their lives and the boys LOVE LOVE LOVE their Dads. The Dad's feel they need to toughen their boys up -

The next morning at our before school devotional A was recounting the boxing story (proudly) and i said " you hit your friend until he puked-- how do yu feel about that?" -- he started to cried.

I prayed-- no i BESEECHED God --I talked to the Mom's (to no avail) I Beseeched God again and again- trying to overcome the passionate ANGER i felt -- i wanted to flip the H out of all those fools -and ibn between all that anger i supplicated God's help.

Saturday during a bk 1 Dee's dad showed up to pick up A - who had been at a Children's Devotional and immediately mentioned my Greatest Name.

Yesterday the Dad of Dee who is actually the ring leader in this boxing deal called and asked if his son could be a part of the "stuff you have going on up in your crib"