Amish Children

Amish children and spanking

I just read an article by Donald Kraybill which examines Amish and obedience (http://goo.gl/Sb7e7).  In the piece, Kraybill explains why Amish use physical punishment to discipline children, citing an Amish mother named Hannah: Hannah explained that, when children are about two years old, their wills need to be broken. If it’s not done at that stage, she said, they will likely become disobedient, rebellious adults. The…

Amish Wedding Pens

I was just digging through my things and came across the pen above, picked up while visiting Amish communities earlier this year. This pen commemorates the wedding of Steven and Lydia, married this past spring in Ohio.  Keepsakes and souvenirs such as this memorialize Amish weddings in many communities. Remembrance items can range from pens with the couple’s name and date of marriage, to painted…

Boy #3

A bit of good news lost in the mix over the holidays, and maybe appropriate to share here on New Year's Day.  About a week ago I received word that my friend Abe, whom I've mentioned in the past on the blog, has just become a father for the third time, this one a boy like the previous two.  Abe, who is a produce grower…

|

Largest Amish family ever?

With an average of around seven children, Amish families are hefty by modern standards. Farm families tend to be the biggest.  A dozen or more children is not rare. But the largest Amish family ever?  Read on to learn about one possibility: John Troyer, who lived near Kokomo, Indiana, had an unusually large family, perhaps the largest of all time among the Amish or Mennonites. …

|

Amish readers respond to Amish Grace; Amish Grace in Japan

‘It sure is a hard emotional read.  To see forgiveness layed out (sic) in such clinical terms while for us it is just a gut feeling…I was glad to see how you stressed that we also are human and struggle with this issue on a daily basis. The thought came to mind that this generation can not claim credit for our attitude on forgiveness beings…

A new baby

I just got nice news from Lancaster County–my harmonica-playing friend Abe is a father again.  Looks like little Elam got a new brother last Friday.  When I visited last month, I knew Sarah was pregnant, but I did not realize the baby would be due so soon. When Amish have children, many opt to deliver in the hospital, especially if it’s a first child.  Others…

When was school ever this much fun?

Amish school gets the job done.  At the same time, the kids have a blast.  After hearing about some of the stuff they get to do, I think I’m ready to re-enroll in fifth grade. On Friday Daniel and Mary’s kids had a spelling quiz (not fun), and made gingerbread houses (fun and tasty).  An excited Lizzie described an unfortunate scooter collision on the way…

Getting my kicks in Lancaster County, PA

Well, despite the inclement weather, I managed to get up to Lancaster County and to my friends ‘Daniel’ and ‘Mary’, where I’ll be staying the next few days.  The last hour-and-a-half or so, from the PA line onward, was pretty hairy, as snow and ice accumulation made driving tricky.  I pulled in late Tuesday night to Daniel’s, happy and relieved to see the kitchen gas-lamp…

|

Interview Excerpt: An Amish builder on working moms, mortgages, and making car payments

One thing that I admire about the Amish is the value they place in maintaining a spirit of humility. When the idea comes up in conversation that the Amish are getting something right—for example, by the way that they live or the values they profess and adhere to–they are usually quick to deflect attention, reminding that ‘human nature is universal’, or that ‘we’re human too.’ …

Pony Cart: the Amish ATV

Driving the backroads of Amish America you find yourself passing the horse-and-buggy in miniature, with little Amish pilots egging on their diminutive yet sturdy ponies, whipping across front yards or up the shoulder and down to the neighbor’s, perhaps to collect a missing ingredient for the casserole mom is working on back at home. Photo:  Randall Persing The pony cart serves a useful function in…