Only in L.A. - A "Zen" playground...

I recently went to So. Cal to visit Carrie. We decided to spend the day in the Hollywood area and took in the walk of fame stars, Chinese Theater and Kodak Theater. It was at the Kodak Theater mall that we happened upon Cosmikids. From the outside it looked like the perfect place to take our kids to play for an hour or two - lots of excited adults supervising, cool educational toys to play with, colorful crafts to make - perfect. So we paid our money and in we went with our collective four children.





OH MY.

So THIS is what they talk about L.A. being like.

We were greeted at the entrance by a large bin filled with small water bottles. There were blank lables on the bottles that the kids were supposed to write a word on. And I quote from one of the people working there: "Okay...now, take a pen and write a word. And you can write any word you want. Like 'LOVE'! You write, like, 'LOVE' on the bottle and then you drink the water and it's like you're drinking love, okay? Okay!"

Oh my, I was officially in the L.A. haze. I thought this stuff was all fake, but no, these CosmiKids people took their zen and love and peace and bright chakra colors VERY seriously. There was some eastern monk chanting music followed by strong African drumbeats over the loudspeakers, pools of colored lights spotlighting activity areas - chakra lights, mind you. An ACTUAL chakra tent where Carrie and Princess had their chakra's analyzed. I climbed in there too and tried to get DD to come in but instead she cried and moaned "No, mommy. OUT!" That's my girl.

At the Emotions station there is a sign that reads: "Welcome to a judgement-free, intuitive environment where you can examine your negative and positive emotions and learn what to do with them. We all have emotions. It's not that we have them; it's what we choose to do with them". OK...Wow, this is very different from my house where we try to squash personalities and beat children who are crying (I'm exaggerating but you get my drift - my house could stand to be a little more "judgement free"). Anyhoo, the lady looked deeply into my sons eyes, blew up a balloon and said, "I just blew some emotions into this balloon. Maybe I blew frustration, but now it's in the balloon and I'm going to RELEASE it (cut to letting the balloon go and it swizzles in the air and plops on the floor) - now my frustration is all gone! Isn't that just wonderful? Simon, what's in your balloon?" And this is the moment that I fell in love with my son even more. He replied evenly: "Germs". Thata boy.

There were wishing well walks, friendship stones, treasure maps all pointing back to your soul and the zen of it all. Lots of bright colors, lots of SUPER positive interaction and teaching from the workers. I think they liked our kids better than we did...seriously. But maybe that's because they just had 1 1/2 hours with them instead of ALL day every day.

The kids had fun because that's all they were supposed to do. Just have fun. But Carrie and I felt like we were on candid camera or something - this couldn't be real? Did these people really believe in all of this mumbo jumbo? I sure didn't...And yet...

Maybe there is something to be said for just getting back to the basics, the soul, light, music, appreciation for natural surroundings, blowing your frustration and anger into a balloon and letting it go...

NAH.

I'll just stick with Elmo and time-outs and flashcards and see where that gets me.