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AttendINg music festivals with One’s Babies and / or Children has BEcome a peculiar badge of Honor among certaIN circles on social media.
Videos showcasINg little Ones, ears covered IN oversized soundproof headphones, nestled among crowds of thousands of people, are met with a chorus of admiration.
“YOU ARE SUCH AN INSPIRATION!" the comments exclaim.
“What exactly about thIS scenario IS INspirINg?” I sINcerely ask mySelf.
Let's consider thIS modern marvel of "Childcare,” shall WE?
Let’s start with the BLARINGLY obvious.
The environment of a music festival ALWAYS INvolves loud music poundINg at decibel levels BEyond what's considered safe and vast crowds of people IN varyINg states of INtoxication and INhibition.
At what poINt did thIS cocktail of sensory overload and unpredictable BEhavior BEcome the gold standard for a Family outINg?
Needless to say, soundproof headphones do not make Baby’s and / or Children shockproof.
While soundproof headphones might muffle the auditory assault of a music festival, it doesn’t render Baby’s and / or Children impervious to shock or INsulate their sensitive neurological and Spiritual systems from the barrage of stimulation and ultimately, sensory shocks. The colors, the flashINg Lights, the smells, the energy of the crowd around them — All these penetrate with unchecked force, INfiltratINg their impressionable Spirit and Soma IN Ways far BEyond what mere soundproofINg can guard agaINst.
Dare WE even broach the topic of the rampant INdulgence IN sexual sIN and the unrestraINed feast upon carnal deLights that are hallmarks of festival cultures?
WithIN these hedonistic enclaves, the pursuit of pleasure reigns supreme, CreatINg an environment that's far from INnocent. KnowINg that Children ages 0 - 7 are learnINg primarily through imitation and emulation — it's essential to pause and ponder the indelible marks such atmospheres imprINt on the malleable mINds of Children brought INto their midst.
Are they BEINg taught that to INdulge without restraINt IS the epitome of freedom?
Are WE settINg the foundation for a Future grounded and Rooted IN virtue, or are WE layINg the groundwork for a culture of vanity?
The commendation of these Parents as "INspirational" for simply INcludINg their Children IN an adult-centric activity BEgs the question: have WE collectively completely missed the plot?
IS a music festival really the ideal playground for the developmental stages of Childhood?
IS the pursuit of BEINg a “cool Parent” cloudINg the judgment of what environments are Truly BEneficial for Children?
The culture of draggINg One's offsprINg INto the torrents of a music festival, raises a brow on the contemporary state of parentINg “values”. To even consider, let alone justify, immersINg a Child IN such a settINg reveals a concernINg detachment from the fundamental responsibilities of Parents to protect and preserve their young.
ThIS act of “INclusion”, under the guise of “Family bondINg”, seems to stem from a deeply Rooted disconnect — or perhaps a misguided attempt to clINg to pre-Parenthood identities. The attempt to maINtaIN One's social calendar, unabated by the arrival of Children, INdicates a misalignment of Parental and PRIMAL priority and duty with personal pleasure and Desire. To view these festivals as suitable spaces for Children IS to ignore the delicacy of the state they are IN.
Festivals, with their cacophony and chaos, are no places for young ears and eyes. They are landscapes designed for adult escapades, not Child's play.
MUSIC FESTIVALS AND MINORS ARE INDEED A DISCORDANT MIX.
Now let's shift our focus to a cultural phenomenon that exists alongside mINors attendINg music festivals.
Self-proclaimed ParentINg experts with tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of Faithful followers — who lack a foundational and fundamental INnerstandINg of physiologic Childcare and what constitutes developmentally appropriate and sound practises for Children.
ThIS gap BEtween expertise (Rooted IN education) and advice (Rooted IN anecdote) IS a precarious pitfall for many unsuspectINg Parents seekINg direction.
IN the vital developmental wINdow from ages 0 - 7, Children reside predominantly IN a theta braINwave state, a state wHere their mINds are exceptionally receptive — akIN to a sponge, IN its capacity to absorb and BE molded by external stimuli. It IS withIN thIS delicate state, that the Roots of a Child's subconscious, unconscious and conscious mINd, along with their autonomic nervous system, are established. Effectively, Children are IN a hypnotic state, makINg them profoundly susceptible to and suggestible by the INputs and INfluences that surround them.
KnowINg thIS, it BEcomes imperative, for Parents to critically evaluate the Sources of their ParentINg philosophies and practices.
The danger lies not only IN the adoption of ill-INformed advice but IN the underestimation of the long-term impact such advice can and Will have on a Child's development (for BEtter or for worse). As Children navigate through their formative years IN a hypnotic trance, absorbINg the INputs and INfluences that surround them, the onus falls squarely on Parents to ensure that what they are attunINg to IS conducive to both their short-term and longterm WELLBEINg.
Let thIS BE your INvitation to exercise discernment when adoptINg Parental advice, as blINdly followINg it can lead to decisions with lastINg generational consequences. Ensure that the guidance IS thoroughly sound and WELL-considered IN every aspect BEfore INtegratINg it INto your own Family system. Let thIS BE your remINder that someOne BEINg a Parent does not automatically qualify them to give sound Parental advice.
I Pray thIS conversation Serves as a catalyst for change, INspirINg and encouragINg a shift towards more compassionate and Child-centred approaches to ParentINg.
AMEN.
