How do you teach Non-Violence in times of War?

Since my son was a year old, I have been talking to him about the word “no peleamos” (we do not fight).  As we  have joined a variety of playgroups he has learned that we indeed do not fight but other kids do. He has learn that we share but other kids do not. It is so refreshing when we meet kids who are talkative and playful, rather than aggressive and unfriendly. We love meeting kids who are ready to play, talk and share because is what we have been doing for the past 11 years. 

 When Gc was a toddler, he got pushed, kicked, or hit by kids that thought it was ok to do so and parents who ignored the bad behavior of their children.  Often, the parents of the aggressive child were there to reprimand their children behavior. Sometimes they just ignored it as if they were tired of the constant “don’t do that”, “that is not nice”, “please say sorry”. Regardless of the constant “aggressive incidents towards our child”,  my husband and I decided that we wanted to continue teaching Giancarlo Non-violence. 

We taught him to place his hands up front when someone was about to hit him and yelled “No, that is not right”.  

With time my son seemed comfortable with the idea that he had a tool to protect himself against all those children that approached him with intentions of hitting him .

In the other hand, as he grew-up, he had decided not to only stop the kids who are hitting him, but he also started mimicking the behavior and hitting back. How can you just remain passive to someone hitting you in order to be non-violent? I guess our son figured out he needed to defense himself. Moving forward 11 years later, he is been taking jiujitsu classes for self-defense and I have mixed emotions.
He is there learning all this lessons on being friendly, kind, nice that he already knew from me while also using strength to defend from any possible attackers. I wish If we continue with our Path of Yoga and meditation but there is a time when kids decide which classes take and which not. Jiujitsu was GC's choice.

  How do I teach Non- violence in a country where every day seems to be a topic related to prejudice against one group or an argument about who gets rights and who does not?.  How do you teach Non-violence in a world that historically has chosen war over peace to solve conflicts? There is so much humans disagree upon, and violence seems where this all ends. 

In my 11 years as a mother, I  have noticed kids playing with guns at the early age of two. Children also point at each other with their hands as if there are shooting each other. 

 How do you avoid violence if the Happiest Place on Earth, Disneyland, offers you the so popular attraction Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster where children and adult can use an Astro Blaster laser gun to shoot the enemies?

 Movies for children seem not to be able to avoid violence. SO “ violencia” (violence)is another word that Giancarlo learned by age 3 . Some days I told myself; 
“In a way is good that Giancarlo knows to distinguish between violence and kindness. Always intending that he chooses to be kind. But how do you avoid being violent when everything around tells you that it is Ok to be? From the Power-Rangers to Turtle Ninjas to Tom and Jerry, Star Wars, and many other programs that children watch. I guess we just have to keep telling him over and over "No violencia" by practicing and showing him the consequences of fights and war.

When Giancarlo was a toddler was only exposed to Baby Einstein and educational videos; but as he grew older, talked to neighbors and we all fell into the marketing trap. He began to be  more interested in children movies like “Cars”,  “Ice Age”, “Nemo”, “ Happy feet” which I though are so cute but within all of them have some kind of violence. I know our son could not have chosen to see these movies at 2 and ½ years old. Actually, as parents we exposed him to what we believed was designed for children but actually should not. We should not create videos and movies with the goal of bullying, hitting or killing someone while "playing". 

Some people believe that we, as parents, cannot keep children in a bubble, we cannot hide them from the reality that is happening in the world and it is true. But could the programs and movies for children avoid the inclusion of violent scenes? yes.. They could. The whole industry could start teaching moral and ethics through their productions. Maybe will not be as profitable, and that perhaps is the reason they only create few educational programs that focus in ethics.

We  adults,unconsciously or not are already used to “some type of action, some type of exhilarating moment so we continue watching those kinds of movies that are filled with killing, but why?. If we know that movies that have acts of violence are just reinforcing kids the hitting, kicking, fighting behavior. It is my theory that we are so indoctrinated on we must see the latest movie, that we don't question, what would I learn from it? Is inspiring or is going to show me a way of living that is ethical? I guess adults do not question a lot of things, period. Our culture rather watching something obscure and daunting than something that makes us more spiritual beings.

Although we are living in times when the entire world seems to be at War. Although hate can be experienced every day, I still believe in Non-violence and Peace.

  I  believe that we could teach our children to defend themselves at the same time that they can continue being kind, generous, respectful of others. We can still teach that living in a non-violent world is a choice we make. We converse and play, or we bully others and fight them.