[Tavern-Talk] Trust Talk - Guidelines for Parents Bringing Children to Meherabad

[Tavern-Talk]

6 December 2007
Dear Baba Family,
Baba lovers around the world often ask me why we have set an age limit 
for children coming to Meherabad from outside India. This was started 
when Mani was Chairman of the Trust and was based on a directive given 
by Baba for a darshan programme that the Westerners coming for the 
darshan not bring children under age seven. Dr. Goher was also very 
concerned about the health risks for young children and the lack of 
medical facilities to cope with serious problems.
Now we feel with the passage of time and our new accommodation facility 
at Meherabad, it is time to re-evaluate this long-standing rule. After 
consulting with the Trustees and the volunteer staff at the Meher 
Pilgrim Retreat, the Pilgrim Reservation Office, and the medical team at 
Meherabad, I would like to welcome Baba lovers from abroad to stay on 
the Trust estate with children from the age of six upwards.
However, all the many reasons for restricting the age are still very 
much with us, and there are many concerns that parents need to be aware 
of when planning to bring young children. Please understand that 
permission to bring six-year old children does not mean that Meherabad 
is a risk-free zone for them. There are a lot of potential hazards, and 
parents need to realize that they will have to look after their children 
at all times.
Parents should read carefully the accompanying "Guidelines for Parents 
Bringing Children to Meherabad" before coming on pilgrimage with any 
child up to the age of twelve.

I am also sometimes asked whether Baba has said anything about the 
spiritual significance of the development of children and in particular 
about the age of seven. During the dictations Baba gave me which 
resulted in the book The Nothing and The Everything, Baba did explain 
about this.
Baba said that before the age of seven, one’s past sanskaras are not 
functioning at all. Only from the age of seven does the spending of past 
sanskaras and the collecting of new sanskaras begin. And for the initial 
period between ages seven and thirteen the operation of sanskaras is not 
in full force but is in the beginning of its unfolding. From age 
thirteen the impressions begin to function fully and there is something 
like an explosion of sanskaras, both good and bad. Between ages thirteen 
and eighteen the young person must be looked after by the adults with 
utmost love and sensitivity because of this explosive stage of the 
operation of sanskaras. These children must not be harshly blamed for 
what they do, but they must also not be allowed to do whatever they like 
without guidance. It is a critical time and the responsibility is on the 
parents to handle the children of this age very lovingly. After the age 
of eighteen, the exchange of impressions functions normally.
With loving wishes to our Baba family and its children of all ages,

Bhau





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GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS
BRINGING CHILDREN TO MEHERABAD

These guidelines have been prepared to help parents bringing children to 
Meherabad keep their children safe and well.

Please note that there are a number of potential hazards to children 
visiting any foreign country, and that all children coming to Meherabad 
need to be supervised closely as some behavior that is fine at home is a 
health risk here.

• Parents must see that their children do not drink tap water; do not 
wander in the sun without a hat; do not eat with unwashed hands; do not 
eat outside food if you want to remain on the safe side; do not walk 
barefoot because of thorns and creatures such as scorpions and others; 
do not lie in the grass for the same reason; and do not pet unknown animals.

• Children are more at risk for catching a mosquito-borne disease here 
than adults because mosquitoes, given a choice, will always prefer a 
child's soft skin. It is the parents' responsibility to bring mosquito 
repellent and to apply it at all times; dengue and chikungunya are 
transmitted by mosquitoes that bite in the daytime. The severe forms of 
dengue are more frequent in children.

• A big concern here is the lack of building safety for children. Some 
areas of the new Meher Pilgrim Retreat are unsafe for young children due 
to the risk of falling (10 feet or more). Parents need to keep in mind 
that it is their responsibility to keep their child away from these areas.

• Please be aware that at the moment we have no trained staff or 
facilities to care for a seriously ill child in Meherabad. A child in 
need of specialized care such as IV drip would have to be referred to a 
pediatric hospital in Ahmednagar or Pune.

• Naturally children are noisy when playing and having fun. Parents need 
to make sure that they do not unduly disturb other pilgrims with noise, 
particularly during the afternoon rest time and at night.

• The MPR kitchen cannot provide special foods, so you will need to 
bring foods that your child likes if he or she tends to be fussy about 
what he/she eats, or gets hungry before the MPR meal times (dinner is at 
8 PM).

In summary, it is essential for parents to understand that a young child 
in Meherabad will need their close supervision at all times. The 
Meherabad staff cannot be expected to look after young children. A 
parent coming here with young children said: "It is a totally different 
kind of pilgrimage. Cherished habits like going to Arti, sitting inside 
the Samadhi, or having long talks with old friends, just go out the 
window... You have to be focused on your young children all the time."

We hope this helps you help your young ones to have a safe and happy 
pilgrimage to Beloved Baba’s home.

JAI BABA!