[Artemisia] Question for everyone re: youth activities

[LadyPDC at aol.com]

I will give you a different sort of viewpoint.  
 
I don't have children.  I do enjoy seeing children at events.
 
But I also remember not so many years ago when there were NO youth  
activities at most events.  People still brought their children but, with  nothing for 
them to participate in, even the best of the youth eventually ran a  bit wild 
and many got into spats and bits of trouble.  I well remember  sitting in 
court quite close to the front and struggling to hear what was  happening over the 
noise of children running about in the back of the  hall.
 
In fact, at a collegium about 12 years ago I volunteered to teach a youth  
course mostly in self defense to keep them quiet and gathered for at least a  
short period of time.  I was told that we didn't do youth courses because  
parents would take advantage of this and it would just be a babysitting  service.  
Well .....  I react strangely to such challenges and  volunteered to teach the 
entire day various youth courses. (yes, this was in my  younger and more 
foolish past).  But we had a wonderful day and the kids  and parents learned new 
things.  And the group learned that we could have  children at an event without 
having noise and disruptions.  
 
That is why I still volunteer to teach at least one youth course whenever I  
can make it to a collegium.  Because I appreciate the advantages it gives  us. 
 We don't have children running wild, yes, but that is minor.  We  get to 
introduce our next generation to the many things that attract us to the  SCA.  
And, believe it or not, during the time that you spend with the youth  you 
become younger yourself, you see the world through new fresh eyes.  It  is a truly 
wonderful experience well worth the time to prepare a short  course.
 
No, I don't have children of my own.  But every now and then I have  the 
privilege of sharing my love of history and arts and sciences with our youth  and 
that is a magical time that renews me every time.
 
So, though you asked for parents opinions, there is one from a non  parent.  
Please maintain the youth activities.  They are valuable to  more than the 
children and their parents.  They benefit all of us in one  way or another.
 
 
::::::hmmmm  where did this soapbox come from? ::::::::::::::
 
 
 
Constance de la Rose, OL

Barony of Loch  Salaan
Kingdom of Artemisia

"Remember, it should also be  fun"

 

 
In a message dated 1/28/2009 5:53:47 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,  
rachael.emborg at gmail.com writes:

Hi, folks.
Taking a minute away from the pre-Estrella chaos  to ask a question.  (or
maybe a few questions, but they are  related)

How many of you have children that participate in the  structured youth
activities that occur at events?
Does the presence (or  lack thereof) of youth activities play a role in your
decision whether or  not to attend an event?

This matter has come up for me recently in the  context of how many and what
type of youth activities should be planned for  events that I am autocratting
or assisting with.  I appreciate the  work that the youth ministers and those
that help them are doing in  Artemisia, and want the efforts to be worthwhile
for them and the  youth.  I am not a parent, so I am afraid I don't have a
very good  perspective on such things.

I look forward to your responses.  You  can send them privately to
rachael.emborg at gmail dot com .  Please  feel free to forward to other
lists as appropriate.

thank you for  your  time
~thea
_______________________________________________
Artemisia  mailing  list
Artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org
http://lists.gallowglass.org/mailman/listinfo/artemisia




**************A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy 
steps! 
(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1215855013x1201028747/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=62%26bcd=De
cemailfooterNO62)