Latest / Other Peoples Parenting / 'More Than Happy': Insights from Amish Parenting
Transcript
- 0:00Hello, everybody.
- 0:01Welcome back to another episode of Other People's Parenting, where we read parenting books and review them for you.
- 0:07I'm Skylar Hurwitz, amateur parent, and this is my mom, Karen Quinn, New York Times best selling author and founder of Habit coach and Testing mom.
- 0:17Hello, mom.
- 0:18Hi, Skylar.
- 0:19We match.
- 0:20I know.
- 0:21I just realized that.
- 0:22And we.
- 0:22We didn't even plan it.
- 0:23We didn't even plan it because our minds.
- 0:25We have this mind meld going.
- 0:27We do.
- 0:28We are so simpatico.
- 0:29We really are.
- 0:30Two bodies, one mind.
- 0:31I.
- 0:31No.
- 0:32We match so beautifully.
- 0:33In fact, I should lend you this top.
- 0:35Such complimentary colors.
- 0:36I could wear it with those pants.
- 0:38Let me guess, you got that in Japan.
- 0:40I did.
- 0:40How did you know?
- 0:41I just know.
- 0:42I know what your Japanese staples are.
- 0:44Yeah, I got it in Japan last year.
- 0:46Uh huh.
- 0:46Uh huh.
- 0:47Yeah.
- 0:49I feel like I'm wearing a bib.
- 0:50But anyway, that's what it is.
- 0:53A very, very chic bib.
- 0:54It's beautiful embroidered.
- 0:56I know some might say.
- 0:58Thank you.
- 0:58Thank you.
- 0:59Yeah.
- 1:00Today is gonna be fun.
- 1:01We're.
- 1:02We have covered tradwives in many forms throughout this season, but these ladies are the real deal.
- 1:10We are going to cover More Than Happy, an Amish guide to parenting.
- 1:15Is that.
- 1:15Is that what this is?
- 1:16It's called More Than Happy.
- 1:18The Wisdom of Amish Parenting.
- 1:21Yeah.
- 1:21Yeah.
- 1:22So the girls on Instagram have nothing on these broads?
- 1:26Oh, no, these are real.
- 1:28These are real people who live like it's the 1800s.
- 1:34Yeah.
- 1:35So when we think about yesteryear, and it was like the big crazy thing was the woman, the main character, lives in the 1850s.
- 1:44Like it's the 1850s.
- 1:46No, they do this every day.
- 1:48Every day.
- 1:48This is how they live.
- 1:49Yes, yes, yes.
- 1:51I really liked this book.
- 1:52Me too.
- 1:53It has a Christian bent because the author, I believe, is a churchgoing lady.
- 1:59Okay.
- 2:00Right.
- 2:00Didn't you get that sense?
- 2:02Well, I guess.
- 2:03I mean, she.
- 2:04She really liked this method of parenting, or.
- 2:08Not that it's a method.
- 2:09It's not a method.
- 2:10Yeah.
- 2:10It's a lifestyle.
- 2:11It's.
- 2:12Yeah.
- 2:12A lot of their culture does really, like, revolve around faith.
- 2:17Oh.
- 2:17Yeah.
- 2:17So that's like a big, highly emphasized theme of this kind of parenting.
- 2:24And, you know, it's funny, typically in situations like that, I am wary, but it actually seemed very sweet what was happening in this book.
- 2:33Oh, yeah, yeah, it does.
- 2:35It's so funny because the author and I took this line right out of the book.
- 2:41Serena Miller, in her bio, has written several quote, unquote Clean Amish romance novels.
- 2:48And I'm thinking, is there such a thing as a dirty Amish?
- 2:51I'm sure there are.
- 2:52Romance novel.
- 2:53A dirty one.
- 2:54Oh, of course there.
- 2:55I mean, there's filthy novels about anything.
- 2:58Smutty books about Amish romance.
- 3:01No, just Amish romance in general is clean by definition.
- 3:05It's so pure.
- 3:05It is very pure.
- 3:07Yes, okay, but.
- 3:08So when she was researching these clean novels, she began to notice how happy and well mannered Amish children were.
- 3:16And even though they had no modern toys or conveniences, the kids were joyful and calm and respectable and respectful.
- 3:24And they were able to.
- 3:25Respectful kids.
- 3:26They were respectful.
- 3:27They had jobs.
- 3:28They were important families.
- 3:30Later, they're respectable when they grow up.
- 3:31But they start out when they grow.
- 3:33Up to be 11.
- 3:34Yes, well, that is true because they, they do end school very early.
- 3:39But anyway, they.
- 3:40They could whip up meals, they cared for their siblings, they could drive buggies before most of us would even allow our kids to walk to school.
- 3:48Wow.
- 3:49And one of her friends who worked in the with the Amish regularly said she was convinced that the Amish have the happiest children in the world.
- 3:58That's what she'd heard.
- 4:00And she began asking Amish parents, well, what were they doing to raise kids to be like this?
- 4:06And she wondered if non Amish like us could use some of those techniques.
- 4:11She called us English, but spelled weird.
- 4:14Did she spell it weird?
- 4:16I think there was an S, C H at the end.
- 4:18Oh yeah.
- 4:18And I was like englisk English.
- 4:21Well, they do call us the English.
- 4:23Yeah, like the non Amish are the English and we're the English.
- 4:27I don't know.
- 4:27I guess because we speak English or I don't.
- 4:29Yeah.
- 4:30So they actually speak two languages initially three.
- 4:34You're right.
- 4:34You're right.
- 4:34What English?
- 4:36Pennsylvania Dutch and German.
- 4:38And German later.
- 4:39Yes, yes, exactly.
- 4:41So the book explores the day to day practices and cultural influences that make Amish children so mature and well adjusted.
- 4:49And then they show you how to apply Amish principles to raising your own kids.
- 4:54If you want to use some of these ideas, you don't have to put your kids in bonnets if you don't want.
- 4:59Oh, though cute.
- 5:00They are cute.
- 5:01But yeah, the babies would be cute with bonnets.
- 5:04Eleni has a bonnet.
- 5:05I know.
- 5:05She looks so cute when she wears it.
- 5:07I love it.
- 5:08And Paul Stutzman is her co author and he was born in an Amish into an Amish family and he lives in Amish country still.
- 5:18But he's a Mennonite, which is very much like being Amish, only it's less strict.
- 5:24It's sort of like in Judaism, there are Hasidic people and then there are Orthodox people and there are Reformed people, and then there are reformed people.
- 5:32So a Mennonite is basically an Orthodox.
- 5:36Guy, not a reformed.
- 5:37Not.
- 5:37No, not a reformed and not a Hasidic.
- 5:40Right, so they're less strict and they can use technology.
- 5:43But stricter than the Reformed.
- 5:45Yes, yes.
- 5:46But they could go to college, they can wear brighter clothing, and you can grow up Amish and then choose to.
- 5:52Become a Mennonite, apparently, and not be shunned.
- 5:55Right, Big distinction.
- 5:56Exactly.
- 5:57Yes.
- 5:58Yes.
- 5:59All right, so I'll start.
- 6:02But you can, you can pick it.
- 6:03Up at any macro meeting.
- 6:05Okay, so, well, what the, what the author did at the beginning is she got together with a bunch of Amish moms and she wanted to find out, well, how do you raise your kids?
- 6:15This is when she's just looking for, like, you know, what kind of advice they have.
- 6:19Well, some of it sounded like what you do.
- 6:21I mean, mine were all fed on demand.
- 6:23Well, you don't do that.
- 6:24You schedule.
- 6:25Well, when she was little.
- 6:26I did.
- 6:27Yeah.
- 6:28I was not trying to put that girl on a schedule.
- 6:31But eventually.
- 6:32Yeah.
- 6:32Now she thought she's on a schedule.
- 6:34She's basically an adult.
- 6:35Right.
- 6:36She's an adult baby.
- 6:37Okay.
- 6:38Most mothers mash food and they make their own baby food.
- 6:43They keep their baby's beds in the parents bedroom to make it easier to nurse at night.
- 6:47I did that too.
- 6:49None of them would sleep train their child.
- 6:51They would all let the child cry it out, which of course you did.
- 6:55They would not let the child cry it out.
- 6:57But they did.
- 6:57I say would not.
- 6:58Yeah.
- 6:59The reasoning for that is they're like, listen, like so many people are around, there's just no reason to.
- 7:03Because people don't parent alone.
- 7:05That's true.
- 7:06You really have a village.
- 7:07You have the village.
- 7:09I mean, listen, if you've got 12 kids, call one of the older kids.
- 7:13Oh, that's true.
- 7:13But only mom can nurse the baby.
- 7:16Yeah.
- 7:16I guess they're probably not pumping.
- 7:18Yeah.
- 7:18But anyway.
- 7:19But the.
- 7:21Yeah, but they would not sleep train so that, that doesn't happen.
- 7:25They don't ever put their child in a separate room even for their naps.
- 7:29Their babies are just used to being around lots of people all the time.
- 7:33Yeah.
- 7:34And young mothers are seldom left on their own.
- 7:36They always have help.
- 7:38Babies are always being held by somebody and they're constantly in the middle of everything.
- 7:43So they just pass the baby around, and the children pick up the baby.
- 7:47It's, yeah, me at the nail salon.
- 7:50Yeah, exactly.
- 7:51And the author says that Amish parenting is not a method.
- 7:54It's just a culmination of beliefs held by the community.
- 7:58The children are born into a community that is structured to make family central.
- 8:03Yes.
- 8:05Okay, so do you want to start about talk about marriage?
- 8:08Sure.
- 8:10The author talks a lot about the husband of an Amish woman that she knows.
- 8:14And his big dreams and ambitions have mostly to do with having family security.
- 8:20So finding a way to make a living but not leave their property.
- 8:25Because some Amish men do carpentry, and some of them go, I guess, off campus.
- 8:30And some Amish women, before they have children, do as well.
- 8:33But the ultimate goal is, how can I create a more comfortable life, make more money, but still have as much time with my family and around my family as possible?
- 8:44So the goal is meaningful work that puts him in close daily contact with his wife and kids.
- 8:49And the author then continues to go on and describe that at an Amish wedding, the bridal couple are up before dawn, which is correct or, you know, accurate for non Amish people, but they're helping to set up, and
- 9:02then they stay late to clean up.
- 9:04Right.
- 9:05Not like your wedding.
- 9:06No, not like my wedding.
- 9:07I was in hair and makeup at 4:00 in the morning.
- 9:10I was not undoing folding chairs.
- 9:12Right.
- 9:14But it's interesting.
- 9:15I mean, it really is.
- 9:15The emphasis is on the community.
- 9:17You know, the wedding happens in the morning in a barn.
- 9:19Three ministers take turns preaching for about three hours in German.
- 9:23All the kids are there scampering around.
- 9:26The bride and the groom are in the front row.
- 9:28And the bride actually wears a dark dress with a white apron.
- 9:32There is no bouquet.
- 9:33There is no exchange of rings.
- 9:35There's a silent prayer.
- 9:36And the wedding ceremony itself takes about three minutes.
- 9:40There are no pictures to pose for.
- 9:43And the gifts that the couples receive are very practical.
- 9:49So much food is put together for this wedding, and that's a big part of the preparation, too.
- 9:56I mean, hundreds of people attend Amish weddings, and a big question before the wedding is, how many chickens am I gonna have to butcher before this wedding?
- 10:04Which.
- 10:05How wholesome.
- 10:08Commenter.
- 10:10Instead of talking about what a beautiful bride she is, what a handsome husband she is, comments are often centered around like, oh, she's gonna make such a good.
- 10:20She's gonna keep such a beautiful, comfortable home, you know, and what a hard worker he is.
- 10:25So they emphasize very different things than we do in our culture?
- 10:30Well, the values are very different.
- 10:31I mean, the Amish, you know, they.
- 10:34They don't ever emphasize outward beauty.
- 10:40Fashion is not important.
- 10:41They sew their own clothes.
- 10:43It's all about being clean and modest and obedient to God.
- 10:46It's similar.
- 10:47Yeah, it's similar.
- 10:48Nobody's trying to be better than anybody else.
- 10:50It's collective, not the individual.
- 10:52Exactly, exactly.
- 10:55And during the wedding, the preacher will say that divorce is not an option.
- 11:00And the author said at this particular wedding she went to, he said it three times.
- 11:06And they are actually less than 1% of Amish ever get divorced.
- 11:11Wow.
- 11:12That's amazing.
- 11:12It's very low.
- 11:13If a husband acts badly towards his wife, the church leaders will take him to task.
- 11:18If he does not improve, they'll use shunning to encourage change.
- 11:22Amish women face disapproval in the community if they're deficient in caring for their husband or their children.
- 11:30And the Amish churches go to great lengths to keep troubled marriages together, you know, because it is for life.
- 11:38So.
- 11:38Yeah.
- 11:38And they mean it.
- 11:39Yeah.
- 11:40They're like, this is a covenant with God, not just the state in which you reside.
- 11:44Exactly.
- 11:45And the Amish couples, they work really hard at trying to forgive each other.
- 11:50They know they're committed for life and honoring commitments is a big part of the culture.
- 11:55And the kids feel very secure because they know their parents are going to keep their promises and they're committed to providing a very stable life for them.
- 12:08And I'll talk about this because it relates to what I am, which is a grandparent.
- 12:14The role of extended families.
- 12:16So grandparents loom very large in the life of an Amish raised child.
- 12:22Most Amish homes have what the English would call a mother in law apartment attached to their house.
- 12:28Grandparents are never sent to nursing homes.
- 12:31The extended family always takes care of them.
- 12:34They don't retire, though.
- 12:35They just keep working for as long as they can.
- 12:39They'll help the family with farming.
- 12:41Grandmothers help with cooking and childcare.
- 12:44Amish children are taught to respect their grandparents.
- 12:47They have very close bonds.
- 12:50And the author talks about how important it is to live close to your extended family.
- 12:55Possible.
- 12:56And if you can, you know, try to find a kind, decent neighbor to step in as your surrogate grandparent, you know, which is so sweet.
- 13:05It's really good for little kids to be around older people, I think, just in general.
- 13:10And it's good for older people to be around little kids because for me it is anyway.
- 13:15I love little kids.
- 13:16Yeah.
- 13:17When I think about Karen Quinn and testing Mom.
- 13:20The first thing that stands out is their effectiveness in truly enhancing a child's education.
- 13:26You see, Karen is a national expert on gifted and talented testing, and she's the ultimate authority on helping kids get into top schools.
- 13:34I know this firsthand because she helped two out of my three kids get into the best schools in New York City.
- 13:41And my youngest child is eight months.
- 13:43I'm sure she will help her as well.
- 13:46What really makes Testing Moms special is that they're not just about academics.
- 13:51They're focused on the social and emotional development of children.
- 13:55It's about nurturing the whole child and giving them a strong foundation in academics and confidence and life skills.
- 14:03Her insights and resources have made a lasting impact on my family and countless others.
- 14:10I am forever indebted to Karen Quinn and Testing mom.
- 14:13And you should have no hesitation about trying out their services.
- 14:18Eating together is another big thing.
- 14:20They emphasize eating together as a family.
- 14:24The author notes that she never saw Amish children complain about not liking the food served to them because they admit that they do have food preferences, but it wouldn't keep them from eating what was placed in front of
- 14:36them.
- 14:37So, like, respect to whoever was able to teach them that the Amish raise a lot of their own food and kids help with that.
- 14:46So they're involved in the food preparation.
- 14:49They're also more likely to eat the food that's offered.
- 14:52They might pick their fruit and at a fruit orchard or go shopping at a farmer's market for food that they'll later be served.
- 14:59So I think that's cool.
- 15:00Including your children in the selection of what you eat.
- 15:02Yeah, I think they are more likely to eat it without issue if they feel like, oh, totally.
- 15:09Yeah.
- 15:09As soon.
- 15:10As soon as my daughter is old enough to, like, really understand grocery shop.
- 15:13I love a grocery store.
- 15:14Right.
- 15:15I love a grocery store as much as I love sacks.
- 15:17Oh, okay.
- 15:19And a farmer's market.
- 15:20Thrilling.
- 15:21Yeah, I love farmer's markets.
- 15:22I think those are great, too.
- 15:25Yeah.
- 15:25They don't eat junk food.
- 15:27They don't snack because they're always working.
- 15:29They're always working.
- 15:30They're doing their chores.
- 15:31That's right.
- 15:33Anyway.
- 15:33And the Amish don't have smartphones or social media, which really reduces the emotional pressures of growing up.
- 15:42Probably saves you a lot of grief.
- 15:43I'm sure.
- 15:44You know, the women and the teens don't compare themselves to social media influencers or models or anything like that.
- 15:52And the Amish women get their advice from either other women face to face or by reading.
- 15:58There's a Magazine.
- 15:59That's the Amish magazine called Family Life.
- 16:01Yeah, sure.
- 16:02It's a paper magazine and they all read it.
- 16:05They have very active social lives.
- 16:08They do all day worship and lunch every other Sunday.
- 16:12There are teas or quiltings or fundraising dinners to attend.
- 16:17When they go shopping, they don't go alone since they can't drive.
- 16:20Yeah.
- 16:21They have to hire the English to drive them.
- 16:23Yeah.
- 16:23So it's a lot of gals in a van.
- 16:25Exactly.
- 16:25And they bring food and share it with each other.
- 16:28It's a whole thing.
- 16:29Yeah.
- 16:30When they do that.
- 16:32And many women will help their husbands with farming and the animals, and the men will help cook if they know how.
- 16:39Amish husbands and wives do whatever they need to to care for the family.
- 16:43Yes.
- 16:44They make all the big financial decisions together.
- 16:47And while men are seen as the spiritual head of the family, women are seen as, you know, they're highly respected because they're the mother of the children.
- 16:55Yeah.
- 16:56So they each have their place.
- 16:57Yes.
- 16:58Yes.
- 16:58Okay.
- 16:59Working moms.
- 17:01A man's value in Amish culture is based on whether or not he's a hard and honest worker who does the best job he can to provide for his family, which is a biblical thing.
- 17:10Yeah.
- 17:11The strong work ethic of men combined with the frugality of the Amish life means women can choose to stay home and raise their children.
- 17:19Many still do create home businesses to help earn income to support the family.
- 17:23Because when you've got that many kids, you got it.
- 17:26Somebody's gotta make money.
- 17:27Also, they don't accept welfare.
- 17:29No, they don't.
- 17:30They don't.
- 17:31So that's an interesting thing about their communities.
- 17:33They don't rely on the government for anything, which we'll get into more later, like with education and things like that.
- 17:39In general, women typically don't work outside of the home after they have children, because mothering is such a highly respected job in the Amish community.
- 17:50Not like it is here, unfortunately.
- 17:52Like, if you're a stay at home mom in the Amish world, they're like, oh, you've got a good girl, good job.
- 17:58That's.
- 17:58That's the goal.
- 17:59That's what everybody wants.
- 18:00Yeah.
- 18:01No one's judging you.
- 18:02No one's like, but what are you?
- 18:05It's like, I don't know, a lizard.
- 18:08Leave me alone.
- 18:09Are you satisfied?
- 18:10Are you fulfilled?
- 18:12Yeah.
- 18:12It's like, yes, girl, I'm chilling.
- 18:16One reason that the Amish live off of the electrical grid and don't have cars is because it saves money, which.
- 18:22Listen, every.
- 18:23Every Month.
- 18:23I see my Con Ed bill.
- 18:24I'm like, I.
- 18:25I'm.
- 18:26I'm gonna be Amish now.
- 18:27Well, you know, it would be cheaper to die.
- 18:30Yeah.
- 18:30Electricity is important.
- 18:32And.
- 18:32And, you know, and it would be hard to live off the electrical grid.
- 18:36I mean, my God, air conditioning, you know, gas or no gas is different than electric.
- 18:42But.
- 18:42But maybe an electric stove or a microwave.
- 18:46Microwave.
- 18:47I mean, you.
- 18:48You know, we need that electric curling iron.
- 18:51Everything we use.
- 18:51I mean, of course, you know, all of our screens, which they don't have.
- 18:56Yeah.
- 18:56So they don't.
- 18:57They don't have to pay for all that stuff, and they don't pay for cars, and they just keep their life very inexpensive.
- 19:04Yeah.
- 19:04And that they can stay home.
- 19:08That's how you get to stay home.
- 19:10It's just.
- 19:10And if everyone around you is doing it, and that's the lifestyle.
- 19:14It's easy.
- 19:14There's no keeping up with anybody because everybody is taking their time.
- 19:18Right.
- 19:18Except the Mennonites.
- 19:20Who.
- 19:20Except the Mennonites.
- 19:21Right.
- 19:22But we'll get to that.
- 19:23Okay.
- 19:23We'll get to that.
- 19:25Amish homes are very peaceful because, again, no one's in a hurry and.
- 19:33Oh, something about a harried schedule.
- 19:35I can't.
- 19:35I don't know sure what that sentence is.
- 19:37Oh, it says.
- 19:38Well, that it's peaceful.
- 19:42Oh.
- 19:43Oh, she.
- 19:43She said it's.
- 19:44They're very peaceful compared to the way the author says her own life.
- 19:49When she was a working mother, she had a harried schedule when she was bringing her kids up.
- 19:54That's what.
- 19:55That's what she said.
- 19:56She talks about being invited into the Amish people's homes.
- 20:00More and more people show up.
- 20:02Everyone brings food, chairs, butter, dessert.
- 20:06So it's sort of like an open door policy in this community.
- 20:09For the most part.
- 20:11There's a very strong feeling of connectedness and close fellowship with friends and family, because the whole culture and community is designed around spending time together and helping each other.
- 20:22It's a very intentional kind of connectedness that they participate in.
- 20:27Yes.
- 20:27Yes.
- 20:27They're surrounded by their friends and neighbors all the time.
- 20:30They work in each other's homes.
- 20:32They're as familiar with their friends kitchens than they are as they are with their own, which is what a beautiful thing.
- 20:37You leave your door open and your friends come over and they start cooking.
- 20:40Sounds amazing.
- 20:41Or they help themselves to whatever you made last night.
- 20:44Yeah.
- 20:44Love that.
- 20:45Well, it's very communal.
- 20:47Yeah.
- 20:48They say that children feel very secure because they live in families with mothers and fathers and extended family.
- 20:55Nearby.
- 20:56So they just grow up surrounded by people close to them who care about their wellbeing and welfare, which is really nice.
- 21:03And again, another thing, they're not paying for childcare.
- 21:07Right, Right.
- 21:08There's.
- 21:08Everybody lives there and helps take care of each other's kids.
- 21:11Yeah.
- 21:13It says here that they stay in touch with each other through letters.
- 21:17Letter writing is a form of recreation.
- 21:20And school age girls love getting stationary as a gift.
- 21:24There's no tv, so they get stationary and they write letters.
- 21:27And it reminded me when I was a little girl how much I used to love to go shopping at the stationery store and I could get stationery and I would write letters.
- 21:37Yeah, I did.
- 21:38You know, that was a big thing.
- 21:40I know.
- 21:40I loved my Paul Frank stationery.
- 21:43Oh, yeah.
- 21:43And my Lisa Frank stationery.
- 21:45You know, like the rainbow dolphins.
- 21:47But did you write letters on it?
- 21:48Yeah, I did.
- 21:49I wrote you letters.
- 21:50Okay.
- 21:50When you went to camp.
- 21:52Yeah.
- 21:52To come pick me up from camp.
- 21:53I remember those letters.
- 21:55Okay.
- 21:56I'm too hot.
- 21:58Okay.
- 21:58Okay.
- 21:59The concept of UF geva.
- 22:02Yes.
- 22:03And she says, the author says that's behind all the deep contentment in the Amish community.
- 22:09So tell us what ufgeba is.
- 22:12Ufgeba means that you are less important than others.
- 22:17Right.
- 22:17Well, Amish children are taught from an early age that their needs and wants are important, but not more important.
- 22:24More being the operative word than those of family, church, or community.
- 22:27So it means emphasizing the importance of the group over the person, which is a theme in Amish life.
- 22:34Right, Right.
- 22:35Amish suicide rate is less than half the national average.
- 22:39They have a healthier and more satisfied view of their bodies than English teens.
- 22:45Anorexia and bulimia are non existent, which goes to show it is a total nurture situation.
- 22:54It is circumstantial.
- 22:56They don't worry about self image because their focus is outward and much more about being thoughtful and helpful for everybody around them than what their own personal dissatisfactions are.
- 23:07There's a concept called galescent height or Jellesenheit.
- 23:13I don't know if it's gulescent.
- 23:15I don't either.
- 23:16I'm sure we're.
- 23:17I'm sure we're terrible.
- 23:18We're butchering.
- 23:19This idea is at the center of Amish life.
- 23:22So it means to give up your will to God.
- 23:25Let it be.
- 23:26When bad things happen, it just helps you accept that life comes at you fast.
- 23:32Right.
- 23:32And leave it to God.
- 23:34You know, just let it be.
- 23:35God will take care of.
- 23:36Yes, yes.
- 23:38And there's another concept called Hakmut, the idea of haughtiness, arrogance and pride, which is you don't want to be labeled as Hockmut in the Amish community.
- 23:49That's like as bad as it gets, right?
- 23:52And these principles are drilled into kids and it seems to make them happier because they're, you know, they don't have to worry about them.
- 24:02They don't put themselves first and they don't, you know, have a big swelled head about themselves or any of that.
- 24:07Big swelled head.
- 24:09What?
- 24:09Don't, don't you call.
- 24:11Don't you use that expression anymore?
- 24:12We call everybody a narcissist now.
- 24:14Oh, we don't use the big swelled head, huh?
- 24:19No, just narcissist.
- 24:20Narcissist.
- 24:21That two year old absolute narcissist.
- 24:24Okay.
- 24:25The Amish speak Pennsylvania Dutch, which some people mistake for German, but it's not the German that people speak in Germany.
- 24:32It's what Amish children speak until they're about six.
- 24:35Then they learn English and their third language is formal German, which kind of reminds me of like in Borough Park.
- 24:41In some parts of Borough park, there are some kids that just grow up speaking Yiddish.
- 24:45And then eventually, you know, if they go to a secular school, which most of the kids in Borough park don't really, but they might learn English then.
- 24:53Right?
- 24:53And that's how they do here.
- 24:55That's right.
- 24:57And also their heritage, they are always surrounded by their own community.
- 25:03And I think people do think, oh, the Amish, they stay together.
- 25:07You know, they're very insular and they are.
- 25:10But what they.
- 25:11She talks about the idea that they really all know where they came from, they know who they belong to, and they know their roots going back several generations.
- 25:23Present day Amish all come from about 200 original immigrants who came to the United States.
- 25:29They know who these people are, and they don't move as individual families, but always in big groups.
- 25:36That way they can sustain a church wherever they go.
- 25:39So they try not to let their church.
- 25:42They're Catholic at 200.
- 25:43200.
- 25:43Yeah.
- 25:44Which actually is.
- 25:45I think I might have read this in a Malcolm Gladwell book or somewhere else, but I've.
- 25:49I've read that groups of about 200 people is really the sweet spot when it comes to maintaining a healthy community.
- 25:57Any larger than that, the likelihood of dissent grows exponentially.
- 26:02Oh, I didn't know that.
- 26:03Yeah.
- 26:04And that's enough people to sustain and keep a community going.
- 26:07But any more than that, and there's like a tipping point.
- 26:09Oh, okay.
- 26:10Where it stops being Constructive, right?
- 26:13Well, they say that since their population doubles every 20 years or so, that's when they create a new settlement.
- 26:21And so they'll leave and start a new settlement somewhere nearby, somewhere not too far away.
- 26:28But yeah.
- 26:29So that's what they do.
- 26:30Yeah.
- 26:30Okay.
- 26:32And they take care of each other in times of need.
- 26:35They have a mutual aid fund and a crippled children's fund and the Amish Helping Fund because, as you mentioned earlier, they don't take any government support in any way.
- 26:48So they have bake sales and auctions to raise money to help each other.
- 26:52They have barn raisings.
- 26:53When a farmer's sick, the neighbors pitch in and plow the fields.
- 26:58If a family falls on hard times, the church steps in to help.
- 27:02The Amish helping fund has $100 million in it.
- 27:06It can be used by couples to buy a house at a reduced mortgage rate.
- 27:10And I'm sure their houses are not expensive.
- 27:12I dare to could get an Amish mortgage rate.
- 27:16Wouldn't that be nice?
- 27:17In this day, you cannot.
- 27:21You're not Amish.
- 27:22But if you were, you could.
- 27:24And also, they.
- 27:25They.
- 27:25This fund is used to help defray medical costs, and it all comes from donations.
- 27:31And an Amish child will never go to foster care.
- 27:34There's always someone to take them, and they're always ready to lend a helping hand to neighbors and friends who are.
- 27:41Even those who are not Amish, but who live near them.
- 27:44Yeah.
- 27:44Yeah.
- 27:45They're very giving people.
- 27:46Yeah.
- 27:47Yeah.
- 27:48Which is nice.
- 27:50My feeling about Testing mom is that there is no investment too great to make into your child's well being, their sense of security, their sense of knowledge, their sense of achievement and feeling secure about what they know, especially
- 28:09when it comes to doing well in school.
- 28:13I would say that Testing mom is not only the most worthwhile investment I've made into my daughter's education thus far, it's really so affordable, it provided me with literally what seemed like an infinite amount of options.
- 28:33So if you signed on for all these apps individually, you would pay much, much more.
- 28:41So let's talk about their education.
- 28:44Yes.
- 28:44So Amish formal education ends in eighth grade.
- 28:49Even some teachers in Amish schools only have an 8th grade education.
- 28:55Mennonites, though, can go to high school and to college if they want to.
- 28:59But when they leave school, they have a grasp of reading, writing, math, and geography.
- 29:06But the Amish say that they never stop learning, and so they consider everything they do to be learned learning.
- 29:12So after leaving school, they're going to train for a specialty like animal care, carpentry masonry, plumbing, blacksmithing.
- 29:20It's like a vocational school, which, honestly, when our AI overlords take over.
- 29:26Yeah, listen, AI can't plumb your house.
- 29:29I wouldn't think so.
- 29:30AI can't carpentry your life or.
- 29:33Or put, you know, or.
- 29:35Or, like, do the blacksmithing for your.
- 29:38You need a blacksmith.
- 29:39You know, you gotta, like, have, like,.
- 29:41An anvil and the.
- 29:42You gotta, like, you know.
- 29:43Yeah.
- 29:44Be a welder.
- 29:45And you know what AI can't do yet?
- 29:46Weld.
- 29:47Weld.
- 29:48Well, maybe eventually it will be able to.
- 29:50The robots might be able to.
- 29:51But anyway.
- 29:52But they do all that.
- 29:54You're safe for now.
- 29:55That's right.
- 29:56But the Amish, their kids learn how to do all of those things because they're needed in the community.
- 30:01They have horses.
- 30:02Yeah.
- 30:02They need a blacksmith.
- 30:03They need a blacksmith.
- 30:04That's right.
- 30:05Right.
- 30:05So their horses need shoes.
- 30:06That's right.
- 30:07That's right.
- 30:08So anyway, the parents are very deeply involved in their children's learning.
- 30:12The schools are built by the fathers in the community, the teachers hired from money donated by the community.
- 30:19And it's usually an unmarried female teacher who still lives at home with her family.
- 30:24Teaches, kind of like on Little House on the Prairie.
- 30:28Or possibly a married woman who hasn't.
- 30:30Had a child yet.
- 30:31Crazy that Kyle Richards was on that show.
- 30:33What?
- 30:33Little House on the.
- 30:34Yeah.
- 30:34Wasn't she?
- 30:35Oh, yeah, she was.
- 30:36She was the baby in the basket in the drawer.
- 30:38Was she?
- 30:39I don't know.
- 30:39I know she was on the show.
- 30:41She was on Little House in the Prairie.
- 30:42Yeah.
- 30:43That was like her first job.
- 30:44Oh, is that right?
- 30:45Bringing it back to the Housewives.
- 30:47Every time I mention the Housewives, that's so funny.
- 30:50They're just.
- 30:50Their reach is so.
- 30:51So far.
- 30:52It really is.
- 30:53That's true.
- 30:54That was Kai, if you don't know, Kyle Richards is on Beverly Hills.
- 30:58Beverly Hills Housewives, an excellent franchise.
- 31:00Yes.
- 31:01Okay.
- 31:02Schools don't accept government money, so they don't have to follow state standards in terms of what they teach.
- 31:08They don't assign homework because that would interfere with family time.
- 31:13The role of the school is to prepare the child for the roles they're going to be fulfilling in the Amish community.
- 31:21Not to go off to college.
- 31:23Not the secular world.
- 31:24Exactly.
- 31:25So there are cases of Amish children leaving the Amish church to get more education and learning.
- 31:32But often you would become a Mennonite in order to do that.
- 31:36And if they do become a Mennonite, that's fine.
- 31:39They're not going to be rejected by Their people, the English parents, view education as something that happens in the classroom, whereas the Amish parents view education as nearly everything that happens in a child's life.
- 31:52So teaching a child to help a neighbor, that's part of their education.
- 31:56Children are included in every aspect of Amish life.
- 32:00They're taken everywhere with their parents.
- 32:02So they learn.
- 32:03Yeah.
- 32:04So I like that.
- 32:05Yeah.
- 32:05When they go to.
- 32:06When there's a funeral, they go.
- 32:09When someone needs to be cared for, the sick and dying or sitting up with the bereaved, the children are there like a Shiva.
- 32:19Yeah.
- 32:19They bring the.
- 32:20They bring the children so they learn about death.
- 32:23When an Amish man runs his.
- 32:25A.
- 32:26A farm stand, he brings his kids with them, and they.
- 32:28They help at the farm stand.
- 32:32They're encouraged to do apprenticeships by.
- 32:34At the age of 14 so they can learn a business and develop a marketable skill.
- 32:39And they have a strong work ethic and good common sense that helps them in business.
- 32:44The Amish look for validation and fulfilling, a passion in the work they choose to do.
- 32:50So just like everybody else, they're.
- 32:52They're.
- 32:52They're kind of going for the thing that they're most interested in, but at the same time, the job is seen as a way to pay the bills.
- 33:00Family, community, and faith is the most important.
- 33:02Yes.
- 33:03Yes.
- 33:03Faith being the central pillar.
- 33:06Right.
- 33:07Okay.
- 33:07You Amish believe that a child raised with no rules is like a car careening down a road with no guardrails.
- 33:13And kids really need boundaries.
- 33:16So the Amish give their kids strict rules and structure, assign chores, meals, prayer.
- 33:23That's sort of the structure of their day.
- 33:26They're taught unwritten rules about being kind and thoughtful to others and respectful of other children, their sibling, parents, people.
- 33:35Since they are taught that their needs are not more important than the collective, they're willing to compromise.
- 33:41You know, they learn that early, and they practice it all the time.
- 33:45One Amish father says his dream for his children is to grow up to be people of value and to be that the child must learn that there are consequences to action.
- 33:53So he disciplines his children because he loves them and wants this for them.
- 33:57And again, I think that discipline is so valuable when you can sort of help your child understand what it's for.
- 34:03You know, just sort of blanket discipline.
- 34:05Because you're frustrated that your child's behavior is not at what they practice.
- 34:09Right.
- 34:10You know?
- 34:10Right.
- 34:10And they do a lot of modeling in the Amish community.
- 34:13They really show their children what they expect of them by the way they live their lives every day.
- 34:19Yeah, exactly.
- 34:21And they teach kids to wait for things.
- 34:23That's actually built into the Amish culture.
- 34:27So an Amish parent will give the child a treat because they've already been quiet and content not to be quiet and content.
- 34:37So they don't use it as a bribe.
- 34:39They're saying, oh, you just were so quiet and patient while I was doing this.
- 34:44Well, I was churning the butter for Jebediah.
- 34:48That's right.
- 34:49So here's a nice little treat for you for being so good.
- 34:52And so they reward their kids for self discipline.
- 34:55And kids know there's not going to be a treat if they whine or complain.
- 35:00There's just not going to be any reward for that.
- 35:02Being Amish takes a lot of self discipline, especially in giving things up for the greater good.
- 35:08So Amish children are well loved, but they also know early on that they're not going to be the center of the.
- 35:14Of the universe.
- 35:16Healthy for any child to learn.
- 35:18Absolutely.
- 35:19Oh, my God.
- 35:20A child who thinks they're the center of the universe, that is.
- 35:23That is a.
- 35:23That's a future criminal that.
- 35:24Well, that's hard.
- 35:27Okay.
- 35:27I mean, it's hard to teach them that, but you have to teach them that.
- 35:30Yeah.
- 35:30So, okay.
- 35:32Teaching respect, respect for others, it's just built into Amish life.
- 35:38When you go to a potluck, the grandparents are given precedence in the food line.
- 35:43Amish women hold back and allow men to go first in the food line.
- 35:47Huh.
- 35:48That's interesting.
- 35:49Huh?
- 35:49Huh.
- 35:50Okay.
- 35:52That author calls this an example of quiet thoughtfulness and that this is the.
- 35:58Women who are expected to be quiet and thoughtful.
- 36:00Neither here nor there.
- 36:01Okay.
- 36:02So the women are quiet and thoughtful and let their men go first, but they also let the guests go first, which is nice.
- 36:08Respect is modeled in visible and structured ways.
- 36:12You know, like you were talking about.
- 36:13When women talk to their husbands, it's always with respect.
- 36:17They don't criticize their husband in front of their children because they want their children to respect their fathers.
- 36:22They don't compare their kids to each other.
- 36:25They don't talk to their kids in sarcastic or impatient tones.
- 36:30They don't interrupt each other.
- 36:31They try to model good behavior, essentially, is what they do.
- 36:36And, you know, they.
- 36:38They ponder what people say.
- 36:41They take their time to respond, and they.
- 36:43They weigh their words.
- 36:47But the author says she's rarely seen a raised voice in an Amish home.
- 36:52They.
- 36:52They don't threaten kids with punishment.
- 36:54They.
- 36:55Whereas we, the English offer lots of warnings, but we often don't follow through.
- 37:02That's Right.
- 37:03Most Amish people will tell you that they do spank their kids if it's necessary, but they don't spank in anger.
- 37:09The author talked about having a paddle in her house, and the possibility of spanking was always there, but it was rarely employed.
- 37:16They reserve spanking specifically for lying and deliberate disobedience.
- 37:22So it's not for a mistake if you make a bad choice and you lie and you consciously do that or you deliberately disobey.
- 37:31There is that distinction, I think is important, because it goes to show, like, you're not gonna punish your kids in a.
- 37:38In a harsh way if they're just making a simple, innocent mistake.
- 37:42But it's about breaking a pattern of behavior.
- 37:45It's about learning, listen, if I deliberately lie or do this terrible thing, the punishment will be swift and severe.
- 37:52Yes, I still am against spanking in any circumstance, but, you know, again, if you gotta do it, I suppose this is the only.
- 37:59The best way.
- 38:00Yeah.
- 38:01If you have to.
- 38:02Shunning.
- 38:03This is interesting.
- 38:04I feel like this is interesting to people who are not Amish and don't really get this.
- 38:07This.
- 38:08When a person is baptized into the Amish church and they commit a sin or they do something against the church rules, they need to show remorse or ask for forgiveness, which is pretty much always given.
- 38:19But if they keep disobeying, they are warned that their behavior isn't acceptable.
- 38:23And if they continue and don't stop and the church elders have to talk to them again, the church will formally shun them.
- 38:32Wow.
- 38:32Yeah.
- 38:33If you've been shunned, you probably feel like it's punitive, but the intention behind it isn't meant to be punitive.
- 38:39It's sort of meant to, like, protect the herd in a way, because people are people.
- 38:44And if one person is sowing dissent and chaos, it is often contagious.
- 38:49And I think from their perspective, it's like, you know what?
- 38:52We love you.
- 38:53We want you to get well soon.
- 38:55Right.
- 38:56Right.
- 38:57But they say that sometimes entire families will leave the church to avoid having to shun one of their own.
- 39:04Yeah.
- 39:05You know, like I get.
- 39:06But the shunned person will be forgiven and taken back if they confess and repent.
- 39:11Yes.
- 39:12However, remember, this is a biblically centered community.
- 39:19Right.
- 39:20So the laws and the standards that they are held to are biblical.
- 39:26Right.
- 39:26So you can probably imagine the kinds of things that might get people shunned that in our more modern communities, we are accepting of.
- 39:35Right.
- 39:35That's probably true.
- 39:37Yeah.
- 39:37And in those circumstances, I can absolutely understand saying, you Know what?
- 39:40I love my son.
- 39:41He doesn't line up with the expectations here.
- 39:44We're out of here.
- 39:45Like, I get that.
- 39:46Yeah.
- 39:46We don't belong.
- 39:47It's time for us to leave.
- 39:48Do something else.
- 39:49Okay.
- 39:51And Amish children, you know, the.
- 39:53The possibility of being shunned is something that, you know, scares them.
- 39:58So they're gonna behave.
- 40:00Yeah.
- 40:00Because they don't wanna be shunned.
- 40:01You know, they understand that's pretty bad.
- 40:03If I were a wanted to get my kid to do anything, I'd be like, you don't want to get shunned, do you?
- 40:08Ooh, that would be like the worst threat.
- 40:12I can't even imagine.
- 40:13You better act right.
- 40:14That's right.
- 40:14Lest ye be shunned.
- 40:16Okay.
- 40:17Okay.
- 40:19So she talks about, like, you know, tips you can take for if you're non Amish.
- 40:24But from the Amish, she says, you know, kids do need guidelines and structure in their lives, and you need to consistently apply consequences.
- 40:36And they say instead of trying to make your child happy, focus on making them a person of value with integrity.
- 40:43Yes.
- 40:43Which is interesting because Dr.
- 40:45Becky, another one, another author that we really like, she says, instead of trying to make your child happy, try to make them resilient.
- 40:53Yes, but all of those things are.
- 40:56In other words, don't just try to give your child things so they're happy.
- 40:59Happiness comes and goes.
- 41:00Yes.
- 41:01You know, but being able to be resilient and a person of integrity, those are qualities that will support you.
- 41:07That's right.
- 41:09You can reward kids for good behavior, but make them earn it and not lobby for it.
- 41:15Teach your kids patience to wait for things.
- 41:19Speak to your children and those around you with respect, and your children will do the same.
- 41:24Nurture forgiveness towards yourself and your family.
- 41:27Model it.
- 41:27Yes.
- 41:28Discipline your kids.
- 41:29You don't have to spank them, but, you know, make sure that you're consistent in your discipline.
- 41:34Yeah.
- 41:35All right, so the work ethic, you wanna talk about that?
- 41:39Yeah.
- 41:39I feel like this is pretty self explanatory.
- 41:41Obviously, the Amish people work super, super hard because they have to, because they don't have electricity and they don't have so many of the modern luxuries that we have.
- 41:51But they start by teaching kids to help with small chores at the age of two, not because they can do everything, but just to give them the feeling of being needed and the contributing family member.
- 42:03And so many books we've read say that we in the west overestimate children's emotional capacity and underestimate their physical capacity.
- 42:13And I think this is just another way of reiterating that, where it's like, your kid can physically do more than you give them the responsibility to do.
- 42:20Exactly.
- 42:21They don't get allowances, but they can earn money, which is a system I think I'm gonna be employing.
- 42:27I'm gonna create an economy.
- 42:29These are the chores that need to get done.
- 42:30And each chore is worth a different amount of money.
- 42:33You and your siblings can decide, okay, should we unionize and do these as a collective?
- 42:38And, like, the people who are best at this can do this, or you can be separate contractors.
- 42:44And if I feel like I'm gonna do a job faster, I'm just gonna do it.
- 42:48So if you see the chore on the chart, you better get to it.
- 42:51Oh, interesting.
- 42:52All right, well, I'll see how that works out for you.
- 42:54Wish me luck.
- 42:56That was actually Sam's idea.
- 42:57Oh, I like the idea.
- 42:58It's interesting.
- 42:59Okay.
- 42:59Sam's like, they could give you bids.
- 43:01That's right.
- 43:02To do the job.
- 43:02Because they all want money.
- 43:04Yeah.
- 43:04You make it a competition.
- 43:05Kids always make it an economy.
- 43:07That's right.
- 43:09I like that.
- 43:10Teach kids about the value of a dollar.
- 43:12Yes, absolutely.
- 43:14Yeah.
- 43:15They might be given extra money by their parents if they behave particularly well or are working harder than usual.
- 43:22For example, one Amish mom gave her daughter or son $2 every morning that they were ready.
- 43:29That they were ready for school.
- 43:31I forgot the why in red.
- 43:33And on time without having to be reminded to teach them self discipline.
- 43:37Like, these are the things that matter that you're going to have to do eventually on your own.
- 43:41The job market.
- 43:45Well, wait.
- 43:45One.
- 43:45One more thing I want to say about the jobs.
- 43:48When kids are older, like 14, I mean, pretty young, but when they're 14, they do get jobs.
- 43:53But they often give their whole paycheck to their family, so they don't keep it for themselves.
- 44:00And then the parents might give them a piece of it, but they are paying their parents back for supporting them.
- 44:06And they understand, again, that the family is more important than just me.
- 44:10Yes.
- 44:11So I just want to bring that up.
- 44:12That was pretty amazing.
- 44:15And they do go to work.
- 44:18By eighth grade, they're prepared to go to work.
- 44:21And the Amish are allowed to, when they're working, use the tool that they're not allowed to use at home so they can get a job, like in a store.
- 44:29Yeah.
- 44:30And use a computer.
- 44:32They just can't own a computer.
- 44:33Yeah.
- 44:35And people rave about Amish employees because, you know, they have great worth at Work ethic.
- 44:42They show up on time, they work really hard, they have common sense, and they don't steal.
- 44:47Well, at least generally.
- 44:49You can't speak for every single person, I suppose.
- 44:51Yeah.
- 44:52You know, but the value system is, you know, to value you hard work.
- 44:56So those are the people you want to be employing.
- 44:59And the parents are open with their older children about finances, and they know what their parents make.
- 45:03They know how much they have in savings and what things cost.
- 45:08They talk to them about the wisdom of making various purchases and about handling money responsibly, which we could use.
- 45:16I've said this a number of times.
- 45:17Teach financial literacy to people.
- 45:21We are not open with our kids about how much we make or any of that.
- 45:26Money is like a big mystery.
- 45:27Yeah, I think.
- 45:28Yeah, I think that's the thing in the west, just in general, not just with kids, but with everybody.
- 45:33There's so much mystery around how much anybody makes.
- 45:37Right, right.
- 45:38That's true.
- 45:39Yes.
- 45:39And it's like, better not talk about it.
- 45:41Yeah.
- 45:42We don't share that with.
- 45:43You know, it's a very private thing.
- 45:45It's seen as a very private thing.
- 45:47Okay, that's true.
- 45:48And.
- 45:49And the Amish work hard, but fun is important to them.
- 45:53And the things that they look at as fun are things like art projects, sewing, quilting, you know, making ice cream, homemade ice cream, learning to sew from your mother.
- 46:04All of these things are considered fun.
- 46:06Writing to your pen pal, hunting, birding, volleyball, trampoline, pony carts, puzzles, reading books.
- 46:15There's a lot you can do if you don't have screens.
- 46:17Yeah.
- 46:17Sledding, traveling.
- 46:19All of that is considered play.
- 46:21Well, I mean, how far are they traveling?
- 46:22Well, they go on little trips.
- 46:24That's what they do.
- 46:25They talked about the fact that they.
- 46:27They save their money for trips, and I don't know where they go.
- 46:31Maybe not that far because they've got the buggies.
- 46:33I don't think.
- 46:34I know if they fly.
- 46:35I'm.
- 46:35I'm guessing I've seen Mennonites on.
- 46:37Have you?
- 46:37Yeah.
- 46:38Okay, so maybe.
- 46:39Or maybe they get a Mennonite to drive them somewhere or something.
- 46:43But.
- 46:44Or in English.
- 46:44Or in English.
- 46:46Right.
- 46:46That's true.
- 46:47But anyway.
- 46:48But they do travel.
- 46:49That's.
- 46:49They use their money for some travel is what they said.
- 46:54So eventually, when Amish kids become teenagers, they go on what's called a rumspringa, which is running.
- 47:03They're, like, running around time.
- 47:05Like, they can go experience the modern world, and then they can decide, okay, do I want to live the Way I've lived my whole life and rejoin my family?
- 47:15Or do I want to be on my own in the world and live like a normal person?
- 47:21Like a Gentile?
- 47:23What is a Gentile like, in other words?
- 47:25In other words, by a person who's not Amish.
- 47:27Yes, like a person who's not Amish in English or like in English.
- 47:30But not a men.
- 47:31Well, maybe they might decide to be a men.
- 47:32Yeah, maybe eventually.
- 47:34Which gives them, like, a little more.
- 47:35Freedom and flexibility, but they get to experience all the stuff they've never got to experience.
- 47:40Like.
- 47:41Like screens.
- 47:42Yeah.
- 47:42Cars.
- 47:43This is a pretty exclusive thing as far as, as, you know, hyper religious communities go.
- 47:49This is an unusual thing to offer people to say, listen, you know, ultimately we want you to choose this.
- 47:57Right.
- 47:57We don't want you to feel forced that this is the life that you're gonna have.
- 48:02Right.
- 48:03You know, there is something else out there.
- 48:05If you decide that's for you, you can't continue to participate in our community.
- 48:09But we are not going to begrudge you of that and we're not going to hold you hostage.
- 48:13Right, exactly.
- 48:14So they can decide what they want to do and ex.
- 48:17Exactly.
- 48:19So, okay.
- 48:21And.
- 48:21And the.
- 48:21I would say that they have fewer.
- 48:23The kids have fewer wants at Christmas.
- 48:27They don't get very many gifts.
- 48:28They may get one gift.
- 48:29It's very limited.
- 48:31They don't watch tv, so there's nothing they really want.
- 48:34Their friends don't have all these extra.
- 48:35They don't know.
- 48:36They just don't know what's there.
- 48:37Not what they're used to.
- 48:39Right.
- 48:41And.
- 48:43Yeah.
- 48:43So.
- 48:46Anyway.
- 48:46So.
- 48:46Okay, let's get to.
- 48:51Faith.
- 48:53Okay.
- 48:54So when Amish are baptized, they.
- 48:56They kneel and they denounce the world, the devil and the self.
- 49:00Yes.
- 49:01And the denunciation of self is a promise to rid themselves of pride and disobedience.
- 49:06And there's something.
- 49:07Well, it's the.
- 49:08Called.
- 49:09I don't know if I can say this.
- 49:10Gellison height.
- 49:13Is that the word we used before fully surrendering to God's will, even if it means suffering?
- 49:18I think that's.
- 49:19That is.
- 49:20We talked about that before.
- 49:21God is in control.
- 49:22God has a plan.
- 49:23Yeah.
- 49:24So they all have that belief.
- 49:26Yeah.
- 49:27Which is nice.
- 49:29And then, let's see.
- 49:34They teach them the patience.
- 49:36Starts with having to go to church every day or every Sunday and sitting in church for three to four hours.
- 49:42They learn how to be patient.
- 49:44So that helps.
- 49:45Yeah, it's a virtue.
- 49:47It is.
- 49:47That's true.
- 49:49They forgive each other.
- 49:50That's A big part of the, you know, the faith is forgiveness and generosity is also a big part of the faith.
- 49:57They, you know, they teach them to help their neighbors, and that's just such a big part of their world.
- 50:02Yeah.
- 50:02And to really participate in their community.
- 50:04Right.
- 50:05And.
- 50:05And choosing the faith, which is what we're talking about before, which is Rum Springa, where they get to decide.
- 50:11They're about 16 years old, and that's when they decide whether or not to accept the faith.
- 50:15And they get a few years to experience iPhones, driver's licenses, TV, movies.
- 50:23And I think what keeps a lot of the people who do decide to not go back to their community is some of them find the people that they wanna marry who are not Amish or Mennonite.
- 50:33And I wonder, can you convert?
- 50:35I don't think you can convert to Amish.
- 50:37I don't know, though.
- 50:38Maybe you can convert to Mennonite.
- 50:39You can convert to.
- 50:41I, maybe, but I don't know.
- 50:45They didn't talk about that.
- 50:46Yeah.
- 50:46They didn't say during rumspring.
- 50:49If you do choose to become English, you leave the community, but you can still have a connection to your Amish family.
- 50:56But that.
- 50:57I would think that would be a big thing.
- 50:58If you love your family, you don't want to leave your family.
- 51:01Yeah, totally.
- 51:02I would hate to leave my family.
- 51:03I can't imagine.
- 51:04But a lot of people want to leave their family.
- 51:06Maybe they don't like their family.
- 51:07Yeah.
- 51:08Like, maybe they want to go.
- 51:09No contact.
- 51:10Yeah, exactly.
- 51:12I don't know.
- 51:13I liked this book.
- 51:15I liked this book.
- 51:16It was not like the other books we've read, which I liked, because what you start to realize about a lot of these books is that they.
- 51:23They spout very similar ideas.
- 51:25Right.
- 51:26You know, and this was a very, like, a roadmap of how this is how these Amish people do it.
- 51:32And this is why they get the results that they get.
- 51:35Right?
- 51:35I.
- 51:36Yes.
- 51:36And I.
- 51:37It was stuff I.
- 51:38I did not know about a lot of this.
- 51:40I didn't know about it.
- 51:41And also, you know, I.
- 51:43I always thought of kind of Amish as almost being like, you know, a very extreme religion, like extremism.
- 51:53Like, I'm thinking about, you know, some of the.
- 51:57I don't know, like, the.
- 51:58The trad wife situation where the, you know, far right Christian sort of thing or possibly like, I don't know, like Hasidic Jews.
- 52:10But it's not like that.
- 52:12It doesn't seem.
- 52:12I mean, maybe she just didn't really emphasize that she Talked a lot about the faith, but she doesn't get super specific.
- 52:19And you have to assume that if they are following the Bible, I.
- 52:22I don't know which testament they are following.
- 52:24Right.
- 52:24I would guess possibly the Old Testament.
- 52:26Okay.
- 52:27Which is pretty hard.
- 52:28But I don't know.
- 52:28I don't know any Amish people.
- 52:31Right.
- 52:31I don't either.
- 52:32So, again, any community that is centered around faith and religion, okay.
- 52:38There are gonna be more strict laws, rules and expectations for everybody.
- 52:43Right.
- 52:44Particularly the women.
- 52:45But that's what I wonder.
- 52:47It didn't seem so bad for the women.
- 52:49So that's what I mean.
- 52:50I think because there's so much work to get done that this sort of idea of like, stay in your lane doesn't really exist because, you know, if you can drive in a lane, at some point you're going to
- 53:01be expected to drive in that la.
- 53:03You know, so women help out in the harvest and men sometimes help in the kitchen.
- 53:07And like, you know, there's a bit more blurring of the responsibility lines than I expected, you know?
- 53:14Yeah.
- 53:15According to her.
- 53:16Yes.
- 53:16That's what.
- 53:17That's.
- 53:17At least in this particular community that she was observing.
- 53:20I'm sure every community is probably a little bit different.
- 53:22Some are stricter than others.
- 53:24You know, every community at the end of the day is made up of.
- 53:27People, but the fact that they do give the kids a chance to leave is like, hey, this may not be for you.
- 53:32You can leave.
- 53:33Yeah.
- 53:34Although I do.
- 53:35Like I said, I think it would be hard for many people to leave their family, but still.
- 53:40Yeah.
- 53:40No, I guess you're given the choice.
- 53:42Yeah.
- 53:43I just thought there were a lot of good ideas in here.
- 53:46So.
- 53:47About bringing up your kid and community and the importance of other people.
- 53:55There were just a lot of good ideas.
- 53:56Selflessness.
- 53:58What did you say?
- 53:59Selflessness.
- 53:59Oh, selflessness, yes, absolutely.
- 54:02Showing that to your child, like, helping other people, letting them see that.
- 54:07Yeah.
- 54:07No, I thought it was really good.
- 54:09And, you know, so.
- 54:11So take ideas from.
- 54:12Take ideas.
- 54:13It's a long book.
- 54:14It's not scientific at all.
- 54:16I wouldn't call it the easiest read, but it moves.
- 54:19It moves pretty.
- 54:20It's okay.
- 54:21Yeah, yeah, it's.
- 54:21I've read harder.
- 54:24I've read easier.
- 54:25Right, right.
- 54:25You know, exactly.
- 54:26Yeah.
- 54:27But overall, solid selection.
- 54:29Well, and then if you like it, you can read the author's soft romances about Amish people who fall in love with each other.
- 54:39That I, you know, sounds kind of interesting.
- 54:41She's a little Amish obsessed, I guess, but.
- 54:44Okay, everybody's everybody's got their thing.
- 54:46Well, that's her.
- 54:47That's who she, I guess, specialized in was Amish romances.
- 54:52And that's, you know, she cornered the market there.
- 54:54And then she got really interested in the Amish community after that.
- 54:58You want to learn about the romance of Rosemary and Gibbedine, feel free.
- 55:03Exactly.
- 55:04Look up the rest of her stuff.
- 55:06Exactly.
- 55:06Well, thank you guys so much for joining us for this episode of Other People's Parenting.
- 55:10And we will see you next week.