Rumspringa Book Review
Rumspringa is a term for a rite of passage during adolescence translated in English is running around using some Amish and Mennonite communities the Rumspringa normally begins around the age of 14 to 16 And ends when a youth chooses baptism within the Amish church and still leaves the community the majority choose baptism and remain in the church Amish Elders generally view it as a time for courtship and finding a spouse In many communities, Rumspringa is a period when some Amish youth, boys more than girls, experience greater freedom. They are no longer under the control of their parents on weekends and, because they are not baptized, they are not yet under the authority of the church. During this time, many Amish youth adhere to traditional
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Amish behavior. Others experiment with “worldly” activities buying a car, going to movies, wearing non-Amish clothes, buying a television. In larger Amish settlements, an adolescent’s behavior often depends on the peer group he or she chooses to join. Amish parents may worry about which group their child will join because the choice will influence the teen’s behavior.
I didn't know much about the Amish and their culture or religion. I have researched up and down about Rumspringa. it's interesting to learn that between certain ages the Amish kids this and do what they want and do what they want. I wouldn't say they get to be themselves because all they know is what their parents have taught them and how their parents have raised them. They get to express themselves and find themselves in their own unique way. They get to choose if they will return and if they choose not to they are shunned from their families. Being the way that I was raised family is everything so choosing not to return would not be an option for me but then again if I was raised the way that Amish families are then there may be a chance that I didn't return.
There are many books on rumspringa, there is also a show called Breaking Amish.
Some of the books go into great detail in how rumspringa occurs and how it follows through. Some books like the one Tom Shachtman wrote titled To Be or Not To Be Amish goes into detail but its from an amish teens point of view. He talks about how rumspringa works and what parents can actually learn from this practice. He states” Nearly all continue to live with their families, however, and many, maybe even a majority, do not go to the parties or otherwise engage in behaviors that Amish parents and church officials consider wild. Rather, they attend Sunday singings, occasionally go bowling, take part in structured activities supervised by church elders — tame stuff — but they have license to do things they have never done before. An individual's rumspringa ends when he or she agrees to be baptized into the church and to take up the responsibilities attendant on being an adult member of the Amish community.” He interviews these Amish teens and their parents. he also speaks with the Amish community just concerned with the activities that these teens partake in. he explains that he wants to get a better understanding of what they are doing and how they go about doing this certain
activities. The Amish community is very strict I worked in Arthur and it's an Amish town. Everyone I seen were riding around on horses and Buggies they didn't have cell phones and they didn't talk very much. when these teams are involved in Rumspringa they get to drive cars they get to talk on cell phones they pretty much do what they want to do. There is somewhat of a difference between the way that some teens express themselves when they start their rumspringa. Like most people think, some of them do the partying and drinking and many more peer influenced things. Then their are some amish teens that do things out of their oridanary like playing vollyball or joining with other teens to sing. Richard Stevick tell readers “Youth groups vary in their character—some “plainer” or slower groups are tamer, and even adult-supervised, while other “faster” groups are less conservative in expectations and rules. Youth groups typically meet on weekends. In the case of the faster groups, this may mean parties or “band hops”, while with the slower, or “singing” groups as they are called in some communities, meet at the home where church service took place for games of volleyball and group singing. “
There are plenty of myths on rumspringa as well as the reality to rumspringa. The reality is at the age of 16 the young begin attending youth gatherings. The purpose of these is to socialize with peers and to find a marriage partner. Once married this period of life is over. The myths are that Rumspringa is the time to decide whether you want to be Amish or not. That choice is made sometimes earlier than 16 but not acted on until later in the teenage years, or sometimes when one fails to find a marriage partner that person gradually drifts away to another way of life. Then also sometimes the choice to leave the Amish is a result of a mid-life crisis of some sort–happening even after baptism and marriage. Amishman Aaron Miller, addresses misconceptions and realities of Rumspringa. “ Amish parents like any other parents are very concerned about their children’s behavior and do everything they can to help the young make good choices. The youth are not encouraged to sow their wild oats. When a young person decides to be rowdy and engage in deviant behavior they are making a choice of their own. Certainly not at their parents’ behest or suggestion.” Amish parents are not teaching their teens to go out and be wild, or teaching them to disobey but to go and find themselves in hopes of one day being committed to God and their marriage. Rumspringa, according to one Amishman who has studied numerous portrayals of the adolescent period, is a time when an Amish youth enters into a more formalized social world, interacting with others in his age group in a variety of settings.
Amish behavior. Others experiment with “worldly” activities buying a car, going to movies, wearing non-Amish clothes, buying a television. In larger Amish settlements, an adolescent’s behavior often depends on the peer group he or she chooses to join. Amish parents may worry about which group their child will join because the choice will influence the teen’s behavior.
I didn't know much about the Amish and their culture or religion. I have researched up and down about Rumspringa. it's interesting to learn that between certain ages the Amish kids this and do what they want and do what they want. I wouldn't say they get to be themselves because all they know is what their parents have taught them and how their parents have raised them. They get to express themselves and find themselves in their own unique way. They get to choose if they will return and if they choose not to they are shunned from their families. Being the way that I was raised family is everything so choosing not to return would not be an option for me but then again if I was raised the way that Amish families are then there may be a chance that I didn't return.
There are many books on rumspringa, there is also a show called Breaking Amish.
Some of the books go into great detail in how rumspringa occurs and how it follows through. Some books like the one Tom Shachtman wrote titled To Be or Not To Be Amish goes into detail but its from an amish teens point of view. He talks about how rumspringa works and what parents can actually learn from this practice. He states” Nearly all continue to live with their families, however, and many, maybe even a majority, do not go to the parties or otherwise engage in behaviors that Amish parents and church officials consider wild. Rather, they attend Sunday singings, occasionally go bowling, take part in structured activities supervised by church elders — tame stuff — but they have license to do things they have never done before. An individual's rumspringa ends when he or she agrees to be baptized into the church and to take up the responsibilities attendant on being an adult member of the Amish community.” He interviews these Amish teens and their parents. he also speaks with the Amish community just concerned with the activities that these teens partake in. he explains that he wants to get a better understanding of what they are doing and how they go about doing this certain
activities. The Amish community is very strict I worked in Arthur and it's an Amish town. Everyone I seen were riding around on horses and Buggies they didn't have cell phones and they didn't talk very much. when these teams are involved in Rumspringa they get to drive cars they get to talk on cell phones they pretty much do what they want to do. There is somewhat of a difference between the way that some teens express themselves when they start their rumspringa. Like most people think, some of them do the partying and drinking and many more peer influenced things. Then their are some amish teens that do things out of their oridanary like playing vollyball or joining with other teens to sing. Richard Stevick tell readers “Youth groups vary in their character—some “plainer” or slower groups are tamer, and even adult-supervised, while other “faster” groups are less conservative in expectations and rules. Youth groups typically meet on weekends. In the case of the faster groups, this may mean parties or “band hops”, while with the slower, or “singing” groups as they are called in some communities, meet at the home where church service took place for games of volleyball and group singing. “
There are plenty of myths on rumspringa as well as the reality to rumspringa. The reality is at the age of 16 the young begin attending youth gatherings. The purpose of these is to socialize with peers and to find a marriage partner. Once married this period of life is over. The myths are that Rumspringa is the time to decide whether you want to be Amish or not. That choice is made sometimes earlier than 16 but not acted on until later in the teenage years, or sometimes when one fails to find a marriage partner that person gradually drifts away to another way of life. Then also sometimes the choice to leave the Amish is a result of a mid-life crisis of some sort–happening even after baptism and marriage. Amishman Aaron Miller, addresses misconceptions and realities of Rumspringa. “ Amish parents like any other parents are very concerned about their children’s behavior and do everything they can to help the young make good choices. The youth are not encouraged to sow their wild oats. When a young person decides to be rowdy and engage in deviant behavior they are making a choice of their own. Certainly not at their parents’ behest or suggestion.” Amish parents are not teaching their teens to go out and be wild, or teaching them to disobey but to go and find themselves in hopes of one day being committed to God and their marriage. Rumspringa, according to one Amishman who has studied numerous portrayals of the adolescent period, is a time when an Amish youth enters into a more formalized social world, interacting with others in his age group in a variety of settings.