"Those Parents"

I have always been in amazement at "those parents" who schedule their kids every afternoon for activities every single day of the week.  School gets out, the kids gobble down some energy and off they go doing whatever they do for part or all of the afternoon.  I wondered, do the kids ever get down time or an opportunity to actually develop the skills to keep themselves occupied?   Do they just follow orders and report for the next activity whether they want to or not?  Are the parents scared to have them at home doing...gasp...nothing?

Well, my thoughts on this have changed a bit in the past few weeks.  I have come to realize that the kids are older now, can do and handle more activity.  They want to do it all.  I have also come to realize that nothing can compare to what this little corner of the world can offer them each day.  So, unintentionally we are totally loaded up each and every day of the week with the coolest and rewarding of activities.  Even better is that all instruction is totally in Spanish.  Here is what is on tap for the next few months.  Each with it's own link.

Capoeira  
I am proud to say that the kids have been in the Capoeira program for over a year and a half and will be graduating again in March at this year's Batizado.  I really like this program and hope they continue with it with all the programs that are out there competing for the kid's time.  It is unique and the group of kids, coaching and conditioning are all amazing.  Certainly without the skills they have learned during their time with Capoeira they would have had a tough time diving into other things.

Alex aims for the knock out kick.

Celebrate the Beat
Alex goes it alone with this one and returns again this year at special invitation from the instructor.  Where Alex learned to dance is a mystery and her ability to control her body, keep the rhythm and remember all the moves is beyond me.  This a fantastic program for kids of all abilities and again, the instruction is fantastic!  We love that she gets to do this.

Entre Amigos Art Program
This one was unexpected and again Alex is attending by special invitation.  She submitted a painting for an art contest at Entre Amigos which is the community center in San Pancho.  For each age group the Entre Amigos staff selected a handful of submissions and those kids were given free art classes to learn new techniques for the next round of competition.  Cool!  Alex is way into it and she gets to take class with one of her good San Pancho friends too.

Alex and Adesha listen to the results.  Yes, Ozzy is in the back row.

Circo de los Niños

This one is really cool!  Circo De Los Niños is yet another offering at Entre Amigos.  You can click on the link to read about the program on the website but here is the short version.  In 2011, Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix approached Entre Amigos with the idea of creating a circus show with the children of San Pancho.

The program basically takes kids out of the community and provides them with training and equipment so they eventually take part in a performance designed, sponsored and choreographed by Gilles Set-Croix and his wife.  It has become a huge fund raiser for Entre Amigos and we attended the performance last year.  It was great!!  Lights, costumes, make up, music, a packed house and we knew many of the kids from school and around town here in Sayulita. Alex and Trace are both in the beginner program this year and a whole portion of the Entre Amigos bodega complex has been rehabbed to accommodate the program permanently.

What is there to do in small town Mexico?  Just soccer and go to the beach right?  Think again!  All of these programs take place in San Pancho so we will be spending a lot of time there for the coming months until each of the programs comes to a climax in late March.  It's going to be a busy time for sure.