To think pinatas at children's parties are just an invitation to violence?

[PuffPants]

Went to a party yesterday. They had a pinata swinging from a tree. The boys queued up to bash the thing with a big stick. It was a full on display of testosterone and agression (not just from the children tbh) and I was a bit shocked by it. The birthday boy and most of his friends were 4. Some of the younger children were really upset by it - couldn't understand why they were beating the living daylights out of the pretty horse in the tree.

And then the mother complains that starting nursery has made her DS badly behaved and fighty

AIBU?

Oh for the love of Jesus! YABU! It's perfectly ok to enjoy hitting something appropriate.

Testosterone?

grip for you

We love pinatas, and yes, they do need a bit of aggression. Whats wrong with that tho? My 2 DSs love them. The faint hearted are not so keen perhaps, but you can't please them all. Hardly think they lead to a down turn in civilised behaviour!

Bet the younger children soon cheered up when they saw the sweets come out!

You're proper barking you are

I think 4 is probably too young for a pinata but no reason why older children shouldn't have one.
Yes it is a bit aggressive but it's good fun too and sometimes its good to do silly physical things. It's not like anyone is encouraging children to hit each other.

Really?

Oh dear!

Just the boys? My DD loves pinatas! YABU and a tad dramatic

Do you worry that pin the tail on the donkey promotes animal cruelty? :)

haha,

do you have only DDs by any chance?

testosterone? FGS!

Yes, the little ones were completely ok with it once the sweeties came tumbling out.

Fair enough. It was just a bit strange to see this thing being bashed to bits but I guess I'd never seen it done before.

I often think I need to get a grip too...

YABU and ridiculous.

Pass The Parcel is very dangerous - it encourages greed and the competitive acquisition of material goods - awful game ban it

Haha yourself Chandon - I have a DS actually.

YABU and a bit precious. We had a mixed party for DS's 5th - girls and boys - and both attacked the piñata with equal VIOLENCE AND AGRESSION! They bloody loved beating the shit out of the "pwetty wittle horse"

The only ones I've ever seen kids use need to be whacked with quite a lot of force to get the sweeties out, but on the whole I think theyre a fun idea. They just need to be a bit easier so you're not setting up bunch of four year olds up for failure!

The best thing about piñatas is that the shop-bought ones are usually a bit too sturdy and it nearly always ends up like that scene in Parenthood where the children get bored and bugger off while Steve Martin has to go at the bloody thing with a saw.

I'm not keen on them as I don't like the way the pushier kids end up with most of the sweets. My son literally ends up with none as he is very non-aggressive.

YANBU!

I dislike pinata too, it's horrible seeing kids bashing something. I do know that I'm v soft though!

hard to see how he gets none unless your holding him back!