Mother brings her two preschool children to almost every session-am I right to be annoyed?

This is Ashtanga Yoga Tech Support. Real questions from the yoga community, answered.

The Question

They run around a lot and I once got kicked in the head when laying down. I find it obnoxious-not that I would mind a well behaved kid who’s able to focus to come to the class. Last time I head the mom saying “If you feel like hitting something, hit this pillow or hit the air”. Uhm….I’d rather be surrounded by people who don’t feel like hitting ANYTHING, during a class specifically meant for relaxation. But everyone else seems to love them, commenting on “how much we…

— via r/yoga

Our Response

You got kicked in the head. Get over it.

“That’s not yoga. That’s babysitting with incense,” you might say.

Look, Ashtanga is not a relaxation class. But it is a focused practice. And you can’t focus when you’re dodging toddlers. Maybe you should learn how.

This isn’t about hating kids. It’s about protecting the container.

Everyone else “loves” them because no one wants to be the villain. You’re not the villain. You’re the one telling the truth. Your truth. Guess what? Your truth isn’t universal.

Talk to the teacher. Privately. “Hey, I got kicked in the head. This isn’t working for me.”

If they don’t fix it? Find another shala.

Your practice matters. You’re not being precious. You’re being honest. you can’t work that way go somewhere else.

The Mysore room is supposed to hold space for depth. That includes chaos.

If the teacher won’t hold their own boundary, they’re not teaching Ashtanga. They’re running a daycare. And some of us would rather run a daycare, then facilitate over privileged adults

You deserve better, right?

Here’s the thing, though— we’re gonna have babies and children and toddlers and noise and dogs and puppets and lizards in my Shala.

the advice is absolutely the same. Either get over it or go. Our program Is meant for real people and real people have kids and dogs and lives. If you can’t find sacredness and the noise and go somewhere where you can, I suppose.

luckily I don’t need to need tea for everybody.