• What facilities are available in Lerab Ling for Children and Teenagers?

• My children do not speak English or French, can they still attend the programme?

• My child is under 4, what care is available in Lerab Ling?

• How are other parents managing to participate in the 3 year retreat home option4 with children and work schedules?

• What Rigpa Retreats around the world have a Rigpé Yeshé Children’s Programme in place?

• What facilities are available in Lerab Ling for Children and Teenagers?

Rigpé Yeshé offers a programme for children ages 4-11 and for teenagers up to 16, whose parents are retreat participants or staff during the main summer retreats in Lerab Ling.

The children's curriculum is based on dharma principles communicated through stories, arts and other fun and outdoor activities. For 8-year-olds and above the Dharma curriculum is based on Sogyal Rinpoche’s Study Pack and communicated at a level for the children to understand and put into practice.

Teenagers have their own tent and programme and, as part of this, can either assist by mentoring the younger children or serve in apprenticeship to the Lerab Ling community in such areas as hospitality. Rinpoche also encourages teenagers to attend the daily teachings in the temple.

Rigpé Yeshé children’s programme, organised and held by a team of local parents, is based on Sogyal Rinpoche’s instructions on educating children, other retreat centres' programmes around the world, and modern educational methods.

In 2007, there were 35 adults involved in the programmes and each of the four tents was held by an education professional.

Parents will be required to participate in the parent rota to help with the running of the programme.

During the All-Mandala Retreat, there will be a children’s programme to cover the morning teaching for children aged 4-11 years. There will be an afternoon session for children 6-11 years of age. Because we find children under 6 get very tired, we ask that they stay with their parents in the afternoon.

To register your child in the programme, please download and complete a registration form and send to info@rigpeyeshe.org .

Please check with us about the Annual subscription fee, the deposit to reserve one of the limited places, the daily programme fee, and lunch arrangements.

• My children do not speak English or French; can they still attend the programme?

During each programme, we aim to have activity holders who speak
English, French, German and Dutch. If your child speaks another language they are welcome to enter the programme, however they would need one of their parents with them at all times in order to translate for them.

• My child is under 4, what care is available in Lerab Ling?

Children under the age of 4 are to be fully taken care of by their parents.

A local baby sitter list can be provided for parents to contact local teenagers who have experience in baby-sitting young toddlers.

During each retreat we aim to provide a separate space for parents with babies and young children to receive the teachings via a video link, which allows the parents to listen to the teaching in a relaxed environment, allowing your child to play without the worry of disturbing others.

Babies and young children are welcome into the teaching. However, if the children do become too restless we ask that parents take the children outside until they are calm in order to not disturb the teaching environment and other retreatants.

• How are other parents managing to participate in the 3 year retreat home option4 with children and work schedules?
Please see the three year retreat page to see how other parents are managing to participate in the home retreat option 4 with children and work schedules. (We need more examples from other parents please!)

• What Rigpa Retreats around the world have a Rigpé Yeshé Children’s Programme in place?

Australian Retreat–Myall Lakes
contact: fiona.clarke@bigpond.com

UK Easter Retreat – Hailebury College – contact: Kayparkinson@aol.com

German Winter Retreat –Kircheim – contact:
mechtild.beule-kolb@gmx.de

Lerab Ling Summer Retreats – France – contact: info@rigpeyeshe.org

Netherlands – Amsterdam Centre Family days –
contact: marlies.musch@chello.nl