[Artemisia] Question for everyone re: youth activities

[Stephanae Baker]

I have two children, and I don't disagree with what others have said about its being important to involve children and youth in the SCA, but I personally believe that for the most part, youth activities are the wrong way to go to achieve that end. If we want them to feel included and involved, then why do we segregate them?

Personally, I believe that including youth-friendly activities (and a few youth-only activities) in with the regular arts and sciences or fighting activities is a much better option. Not only do youth get to feel involved that way, but they get to feel like their activities take place right alongside everyone else's. They get to do some of what everyone else does in the SCA. And it means there are even quite a few activities they can go to with mom and dad that are enjoyable for all. I think there's nothing like doing things with your parents to make you feel included. Finally, the adults who run youth friendly stuff in this model don't have to feel like they spend part of the event in some out-of-the-way corner, either. We might get some whole new fun kinds of classes for adults and children alike with more people thinking about/willing to run stuff that was potentially fun for both. And there have been quite a few youth activities I went to with my
 kids that were more fun than the adult classes being offered anyway. Why shouldn't they just be A&S classes? How much more cool will it seem to the kids if some grown-ups want to do it too?

Anyway, it would take some thinking and figuring out liability/rules to use that kind of a model, but I just wanted to point out that having youth activities is not necessarily the only way to involve children. SCAdians are creative. If we put our heads together we might come up with a solution that's even better for kids than youth activities. Something that solves the youth involvement problem, while also addressing the babysitting resentment problem, and even addressing some of the truly nasty liability issues we have going around youth activities.

My 2 cents ~

Belladonna






________________________________
From: Rachael Emborg <rachael.emborg at gmail.com>
To: Artemisia list <artemisia at lists.gallowglass.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 4:38:44 PM
Subject: [Artemisia] Question for everyone re: youth activities

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
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