That teen aged people may be far more mature, gracious, thoughtful, and generally well mannered than we expect, or give them credit for in our present day and age.
Mary was engaged at 13. Prepared to marry at 15. 15! Laura took her first teaching job at the age of 16. 16! The kids had daily chores they had to take quite seriously. Boys worked on farms. Young adults were just that. Young adults.
The teen years in our current culture are commonly filled with extraordinary angst, intense drama, extreme selfishness, dreaded by parents. It almost seems inevitable!
The kids in those "pioneering days" worked hard. Plain and simple. They were expected to contribute to the family - to society. Heartily. As highly capable, selfless individuals.
It's got me wondering, are we, by our low expectations for young people concerning what they should be able and willing to handle, hindering their ability to navigate the challenging, often emotional, sometimes treacherous waters of teenhood with a clear measure of due maturity? Are young people able to enjoy a prolonged childhood in all its egocentric glory for too long, delaying the necessity to really grow up? If so, is this doing anyone any good?
As a whole, it kind of seems so - that children and young adults alike have been given much, with very little requirement. A sense of entitlement is perhaps quite normal these days. Parents may not believe it is avoidable.
I don't really know, I obviously haven't raised teens! It is definitely something I'm considering though....as I dole out responsibilities to the young ones and count on them to do their part, hopefully instilling a good work ethic and sense of being depended upon by the family. It takes a village for things to run smoothly in Deutschland. And that's no lie! All occupants' participation required whatever their age. I pray, pray, pray this helps them develop in a God glorifying way.
If our children grow up with even a fraction of the maturity the Ingalls girls possessed as teens, I will be one happy, old fashioned, bonnet wearing, chore giving, teen loving, mama indeed. ♥
4 comments:
I haven't raised teens either, I've worked with them very close for 12 years, but I'm sure that still does not even close to qualify me to have any 'advice' but to what you wrote here I say:
AMEN.
Amen.
YES!!! Amen, amen, amen!!!
yes, AMEN!
you HAVE to read Do Hard Things...it's all about this very thing!
i must say, i think i would die of heart failure on the spot if my 13 year old came to me wanting to get married. that's 4 years from now for brigg.
gosh...that made me laugh right out loud. brigg. married. in 4 years. bbbaaaahhhahhhaaaaahhaa.
call me crazy. :)
(check with me again in 4 years.)
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