teenagers-msg - 12/1/08

Period and SCA teenagers.

NOTE: See also the files: children-msg, child-gam-msg, child-books-msg, toys-msg, dolls-msg, games-msg, sports-msg, child-kitchen-msg, chd-actvites-msg, p-cook-child-msg.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
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From: Luigi <LKAPAJ at delphi.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: ages 13-19
Date: Fri, 31 DEC 93 04:03:41 EST

Having recently turned 21, I spent most of my SCAdian life as a young
adult and strongely resented be expected to not join in the activities
of "OLDER" SCAdians.  If I was not iterested in being part of the society,
I would still think the middle ages were a D&D game with no monsters!  Being
sepereated and given organized activities may be fine for children but
young adults are adults that just lack a little experience.  Being seperated
and told what to do is not any way to gain that experience.  What I have
'experienced' about SCAdians is that anyone of any age with a mature attitude
is welcome and anyone of any age without a mature attitude is quickely shown
one or the door.
  I've been in the SCA since I wwas 15.  In the time past I have two fully
developed personas, a household that I was in large part responible for
forming and will soon take charge of the household fighters, and have responsable freindships with most of the chivalry in my region as well as numerous non-chivarly even former kings and queens of other kingdoms in my time.  That may not be much until you contrast that with my starting outas being what
most parents fear.  That growth occured from being involved, not segregated.
If younger adults prefer those of there own age they will very easily find
them and get good experience at introductions.
  I do not intend to offend anyone who disagrees, just state a good reason
for my beliefs.
          puppy
      aka:Louis Loisel le Chiot Malin
      mka:Luigi Kapaj
    email:lkapaj at delphi.com

From: jacquetta at aol.com (Jacquetta)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Kids
Date: 22 Sep 1994 17:55:02 -0400

v081lu33 at ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu (TRISTAN CLAIR DE LUNE/KEN MONDSCHEIN) writes:

""Has anyone ever heard of a kid who's parents were in the SCA, but
who hated it?""
Actually, yes.  My good friend Lady Wyllow has a 13 year old who really
doesnt find anything attractive about the SCA.  He's into bikes.
Fortunately for Wyllow, her husband ALSO doesn't like the SCA.  So its
just her at Pennsic and Dad and son stay home and hang out.  Brendan won't
go to events at all anymore.   Less extreme is my son - aged 6.  The SCA
has only limited appeal to him.  Having grown up watching "Daddy fight"
there is no real attracting in a tourney anymore.  So Johnny only goes to
summer camping events where he can go swimming in the pool all day.  Our
older child (Sarah - 12) adores the SCA and can''t get enough of it.  
The point is... every kid is different.  Some go, some don't.
Jacquetta

From: sandradodd at aol.com (SandraDodd)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Kids
Date: 25 Sep 1994 11:44:05 -0400

About kids and parental activities:
Don't take it personally if your kids don't like the SCA.  There's an
instinct as strong as any which kicks in at some time in most people (some
as early as 11, some not until they're 22) to Get Away from your parents. 
If this instinct didn't exist, why would we ever leave a place with food
and laundry services?  Giving kids more and better things to do won't save
them all.  Some will get surly and might do best in the tent with the
sound turned down on the Gameboy.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my parents dressed me up in
western shirts and new jeans and dragged me to rodeos.  They woke me up to
hear musician-friends of theirs play Orange Blossom Special in the living
room, or whatever.   Had I had a natural interest in such things it
would've been fine, but I was pretty much mortified.  

There are, of course, people who have grown up in the SCA and stayed. 
There are people who grow up in a small town and stay to work the rest of
their lives.  There are also those (and those among us) who grew up in a
small town and got the heck out.  There are those who will want the heck
out of the SCA.  Try not to waste too much time swimming up the biological
stream, because when a kid's urge to be different kicks in you'd probably
do best for both of you if you let it be.

AElflaed, hoping my kids don't hate the SCA but trying to prepare for the
likelihood that with three of them, not all will want to live here.  So
far they're happy with friends and boffers and their Calontir boots [if
anyone sees Richard or Istvan, tell them Kirby's boots are getting
small...]

From: azrael at access4.digex.net (Razmus)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Kids
Date: 26 Sep 1994 08:48:03 -0400
Organization: Express Access Online Communications, Greenbelt, MD USA

Cynthia.Ley at f56.n105.z1.fidonet.org (Cynthia Ley) writes:

>        Maybe the kid hates the SCA because he or she is bored. This seems 
>to be especially true with the 'tweens (ages 10-18). They're too old for 
>Pied Pipers and too young for a lot of other activities.
>        So here's a question for everyone: what sorts of activities are open 
>to the 'tweens? What jobs can they do? Kids are happiest when they're doing 
>something and feel included.

Just my two drakmas,
   I (helped) bring four teenagers (14,15,16,and 17.9) to the
Tournyment of the Rose in Ponte Alto, Atlantia this weekend.  They
kinda made their own peer group - and because one of the major
objectives of the event was to collect coins for the Ransom of a
willful young lady from gypsies - they had a chance to arrange their
OWN activities to separate gentles and their coins.
 
   My own interpretation is that these young adults are too old to be
told what to do, but to young to really get into some of the things
"us older kids" do.  Just by making stuff available (coins, games,
information about what/how games were played in period) these kids had
a blast -- and it was thier first event.  They can't wait until the
next one.  A joyous noise for the organziers and the Barony of Ponte
Alto!
In service,
Razmus the Innocent
-- 
Rich E. Weissler			azrael at access.digex.net

From: habura at rebecca.its.rpi.edu (Andrea Marie Habura)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Kids
Date: 28 Sep 1994 01:04:36 GMT
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Jan Wagner writes about the problems of SCA pre-teens and teenagers.

It strikes me that we're actually talking about two separate populations 
here. One group is the ones who found the SCA on their own (as I did; I joined
at 14, without my parents.) The other is the not-quite-grown children of
established SCAdians. The two present different problems.

The first group has no problems of motivation: any person in that age range
who can manage to *attend* events on a regular basis is motivated. Most 
of these seem to do best when "adopted" by a household or other cluster of
adult SCAdians. Certainly, also, they can find plenty to do: of my current
SCA hobbies, the only ones I could not have taken up when I joined were brewing
and fighting. 

The other group, if it has a problem at all, has motivation as its primary
trouble. A child who grew up in the SCA knows how things work, and the parents
are there to help. The trick becomes ensuring that they *want* to do something.

Were I a parent (I'm not), I would make an arrangement to "foster" or
"apprentice" my child to someone I trusted. I'd watch my child for a few
years to see if there was anyone in my circle of friends that she seemed
fond of. Then, I'd see about arranging for my child to spend most of the
day at an event with that person. If my friend was a merchant, my child
would learn merchanting. If he was a juggler, she would learn to juggle.
If he was an archer, she would learn to shoot. And so on. If the child
developed other interests and wanted to "swap" to another friend, it could 
be worked out. At any rate, the child would have someone other than her
parents to be with at an event.

Alison MacDermot
*Ex Ungue Leonem*

From: "Brett W. McCoy" <p01335 at psilink.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: SCA Kids
Date: Wed, 28 Sep 94 11:02:43 -0500
Organization: DIOGENES/FOI Services, Inc.

>DATE:   Tue, 27 Sep 1994 07:38:00 -0800
>FROM:   Jan Wagner <Jan.Wagner at f56.n105.z1.fidonet.org>
>
>There are very few activities for people between the ages of 11 and 18.
>Perhaps some of you may have ideas to involve and allievate bordom for 
>these young folks. Most outdoor events I've been to are centered around 
>adults (fighting, competitions,etc) that exclude this age group. 
>Granted, some Kindgoms have been trying to involve these folks in a 
>small scale. Perhaps as adults we should take it upon ourselves to 
>involve these young adults-- not merely having them become pages but 
>REALLY involve them in the SCA: teach them a new skill, how to be a 
>merchant, showing and helping them create a piece of art work, general 
>ettiquette, etc. If we choose not to teach them or simply to ignore 
>them, then no wonder they become borded..wouldn't you????????

As a newly designated Chatelaine/Hospitaller for my shire, one of my 
duties is to make sure the youngsters have something to do.  One thing 
we try to do is teach the kids games first off, as they can be quickly 
involved.  Game of the Goose seems to be the most popular.  Teaching 
basic cooking skills works, as well as showing them how to do 
calligraphy, telling stories (and teaching them how to tell stories), 
and various workshop type things.  We have a good proportion of kids in 
our shire (three of them mine), and I do what I can to keep them busy, 
especially during the weekly meetings.  Even making simple jewelry gets 
a great response, especially things like stringing beads.  One event I 
was at, the kids got a big kick out of painting themselves with woad.  
Kids also get a kick out of dancing with the 'grownups'.

This is one thing that has impressed me about the SCA, that families 
are encouraged to participate together.  Kids like nothing more than 
doing things with adults, especially when it comes to 'pretending' and 
dressing up in outlandish clothing.

Istvann Dragosani                     | "Go not to the Elves for counsel,
bmccoy at cap.gwu.edu                    |        for they will say 
Minstrel, Mage, Sage, Wooer of Women, |         both no and yes"     
and General Friend of All Nature...   |         -- JRR Tolkien

From: salley at niktow.canisius.edu (David Salley)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Children at Events
Date: 10 Feb 95 13:35:00 GMT
Organization: Canisius College, Buffalo NY. 14208

Lady Llereth (Lee Martindale) writes:
> One adult might well
> be able to keep an eye on 5 toddlers.  That same adult could not possibly
> hope to "keep tabs on" that many sixteen-year-olds.

Why would you need to?  Around here, the rule is "You act like an adult, you
get treated like an adult.  You act like a child, you get treated like a
child."  That goes for children ages 1 to 100.  We've had three sixteen year
olds, with a "deputy daddy" for signing a feast hall rental, autocrat a 
feast for 150 on-board.  And we're supposed to demand that they have someone
"keep tabs on" them???  

I understand that there are mundane laws we have to deal with: they can't 
fight; they can't rent halls, hence "deputy daddy"; there has to be someone on 
site who can consent to medical treatment; etc.  If _anyone_ gets injured, 
child, teen or adult, we could have a herald calling for the nearest relative 
inside of two minutes, if we had to.  Other than that, I see no reason for
anyone to "keep tabs on" them any more than someone should "keep tabs on" you.

                                                       - Dagonell

SCA Persona : Lord Dagonell Collingwood of Emerald Lake, CSC, CK, CTr
Habitat	    : East Kingdom, AEthelmearc Principality, Rhydderich Hael Barony
Internet    : salley at cs.canisius.edu  (Please use this, reply may not work.)
USnail-net  : David P. Salley, 136 Shepard Street, Buffalo, New York 14212-2029

From: djheydt at uclink.berkeley.edu (Dorothy J Heydt)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Children at Events
Date: 14 Feb 1995 16:11:43 GMT
Organization: University of California, Berkeley

[Hal posting from Dorothy's account...]
David Mann <uccxdem at okway.okstate.edu> wrote:
>
>How does a person treat teenagers? These not
>quite adults are a special case. The 10 to 15 we have in our group want
>pretty close to what the adults want, to be able to participate in the 
>event. 

I think you will find that the interest in what the adults are
doing kicks in a lot younger than that--probably no later than 6
to 8.  What you can do with the kids from around 8 through the
pre-teens and teenagers (depending on individual level of
responsibility) is put them to work in any capacity they can
help.  The West has been known to use kids as young as 6 as List
Pages.  Any one child needs to work a relatively short 'shift'
(say, an hour or two) and can work more than one shift if they
feel up to it, but they get almost fanatically attached to doing
*something* that connects to the main activities of an event.

Somewhat older--say 10 or 12 for the best and not much older for
others, the kids can help at nearly any activity we do.  When I
was Kingdom Constable I jumped at the chance to get pre-teens and
teenagers to help at Gate.  I just made sure to pair them up with
an adult to handle any decisions that required experience to make
a sensible decision.  Society governance permits apprentice
Marshals as young as 14.  Any teen with a good voice or some
voice training can do some heraldic work.  Any teen or pre-teen
can fetch and carry to assist virtually any of the offices or the
Royalty.  After all, what adult wouldn't *welcome* the assistance
of a tireless set of legs?

>They can't fight yet, but they can do archery, water bearing, bardic,
>heralding, etc. Most groups don't give these teenagers the time of day let
>alone the chance to participate. If those kids are not given the chance to
>learn about the Society and how things work, we have just lost our future
>and the chance to leave a better group than the one we started in.

As an ex-Geat Officer let me assure you that what we lose out on
is some of the most enthusiastic labor we'll ever get.  More
over, once the kids get used to the idea that doing even minor
service can be fun, they're on their way to being the backbone of
the Society--by learning how to hold it all together.

>As the Autocrat for an Event of the size of Steppes Warlord it is up to you
>to do as you see fit. All I ask is to consider the kid's age and demeanor
>on a case by case basis. Of course, under a certain age I would easily 
>advocate even calling police if the child was running around without parents
>at midnight. If my eight year old daughter was doing this I would give her
>a spanking (away from sleeping people.)

I disagree that it up to the Autocrat.  For the loose kids, that
comes under the wing of whatever your kingdom has in the way of
constabulary (which--in some kingdoms--is the Seneschallate).
For enlisting the older kids to help out, that's up to anyone who
can use a hand.

(Soap box time I guess....  When the heralds announce that "anyone
who is, or wants to be" active in any particular office, the
officer who asked for the announcement means *anyone*.  Just show
up at the appointed time and place and you will brighten the day
of the person in charge.  I cannot imagine a happier event for
the officer in charge of a facet of SCA organization than having
more volunteers than he actually needs...)

	--Hal Ravn
	 (Hal Heydt)

Subject: ANST - sca-teens
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 98 09:16:50 MST
From: CRICKETRED at aol.com
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

http://www.dubiouspub.com/scateen/index.htm

here's a great site for and about sca teens.. by an SCA teen. It's got
lots of neat ideas and input.. go check it out

Subject: Re: ANST - SCA Youth
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 98 08:46:53 MST
From: Chris and Elisabeth Zakes <moondrgn at bga.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

><< I think it would be fun and educational
> (for the young folk) if some of the Nobility had a couple young people as
> entourage members.  >>

Agreed; the difficulty is getting them together on a regular basis.

>I believe Master Robin of Gilwell has been doing just this for several years.
>The young man who is his page is one of the most well-mannered young
>gentlemen I have ever met.

And himself the son of nobility--Baron Tostig and Mistress Rhiannon.

>Perhaps Master Robin could be encouraged to tell us how he does this?
>I am the mother of a thirteen year old girl who has been in the SCA since she
>was seven, and would not be caught dead at an event. I would love to bring her
>back....
>but I do not know how. She received her Rising Star at age  nine.
>Mara   (Barony of Elfsea)

What has worked for my kids has been to find the things they like to do and
give them every opportunity to do them. Rosalind likes serving tables and
being cook's helper in the kitchen. Sounds good to me. She has received
both a Rising Star and an AoA. Robert likes serving also, and is very good
at helping to set things up (like pavilions). He also helps the Ministry of
Children in getting things together, and he was a very good assistant at
one of their puppet performances recently. He has a Rising Star.

A good while back we had a Children's tournament at which a herald gave a
class for the kids about heraldry. She used a felt board and had a number
of charges and ordinaries cut out of felt. Several of the kids used these
to create their own devices. Having one of their own helps them to feel
that they really belong to the SCA rather than just trailing around after
their parents.

At the Academy of the Rapier a week ago, Rosalind and Robert both wanted to
take classes. I asked Dona Leah about restrictions, seeing as how they're
both under age (12 and 9 at the time). She said they could do all parts of
the classes as long as they didn't poke anyone and no one poked them. I
would think that this philosophy could be extended to armoured combat as
well (use pells), and archery, of course, works fine.

Aethelyan Moondragon, Bryn Gwlad

Subject: Re: ANST - SCA Youth
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 98 16:46:26 MST
From: Deborah and Robert Wade <dwade at ballistic.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

>>I believe Master Robin of Gilwell has been doing just this for several years.
>
>And himself the son of nobility--Baron Tostig and Mistress Rhiannon.

Thank you for the compliment to my son.

With both of my children, Thomas - Master Robin's page and Jaquelynn the
goal has been to encourage them to tell us what they want to do and to make
the SCA fun.  Thomas has attended classes at several King's Colleges and
has entered A&S events.  He also spends an incredible amount of time in
Robin's armour bag.  Jacquelynn is more interested in service type
activities than the arts.  She is encouraged to what she is interested in
and to behave at all times.

Rhiannon

Subject: ANST - SCA Youth
Date: Fri, 03 Jul 98 23:01:23 MST
From: Kim Tucker <neassa at swbell.net>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Greetings from Baroness Neassa,

HE Caterina wrote:
> I think it would be fun and educational (for the young folk) if some of the
> Nobility had a couple young people as
> entourage members.  They could/would get a real understanding of what
> it takes to do the job!  Any other ideas?

I have two young ladies in my Barony, Carn and Marissa, who are my
ladies-in-waiting. I'm not sure of their ages, but I believe they are
both between 11 and 15 years old. They do an excellent job as entourage.
There is also a young man, Ben, (I think he is 15), who assists me
regularly by running errands and carrying heavy objects.

These kids are wonderful; a lot of help AND a lot of fun. Many, many
other children from Stargate also help. All you have to do is let them.

I know that this comment was originally addressed to the nobility, but
we can't do it alone. You don't have to be a Baroness or a member of the
Royal Family or even a Peer to give a child a job at an event. First
make an arrangement with a child's parents, and then take that child as
your page or lady-in-waiting, and then *give them something to do!* Kids
love to run errands for adults at an event, (at least for everyone but
their parents). Have them find out what is scheduled for children's
activities that day: They can decide which activities they want to
attend, and you may want to go to one of the classes to learn something
too. Ask the kid to deliver a message for you, or find out if any of the
merchants have pottery or trim for sale. Fighters can have the kid hold
their shield or sword by the list field just before they take the field,
and the same kid could have a cool mug of water ready when the fighter
retires from the field. Kids know how to set tables for feast - at least
to get the tablecloth on it. They can gather wildflowers for a
centerpiece. Just interact with the kid as you really would a page or
lady-in-waiting: Have them do what you are too busy to do, and teach
them what you are doing and why you are doing it, and both adult and
child will have a good time.

If you really want to get spiffy, make the child a tabard in your
colors, or with your arms on it. Sir Godwin did this many years ago, and
it was wonderful. It greatly added to the period feel of the event, it
gave the kid something to wear that his parents didn't have to make, the
kid loved it (as did his younger sisters who later grew into it), and it
was evident to all that this child was in the service of Godwin. It just
goes to show what a little heraldry can do for you. :)

Kids are fun.

Neassa the Obstreperous
Baroness of Stargate
Former Minister of Children of Stargate

Subject: Re: ANST - Giving Awards to SCA Youth
Date: Sat, 04 Jul 98 17:31:27 MST
From: Deborah and Robert Wade <dwade at ballistic.com>
To: ansteorra at Ansteorra.ORG

Above all check with the parents before recommending children for awards.
It is not fair to the child to give him an armigerous award when he does
not understand the meaning even if you (the non parent) believe that he is
deserving. There may reasons why the parent, who knows the child better
than you, is hesitant to have their child receive an armigous award. He
will often be just as happy with a special recognition from the Crown and a
peice of largess.  My son Thomas received a special scroll from Micheal and
Mikela at Steppes Artisan a couple of years ago, and is much proder of that
than he would be of an AOA or of the Rising Star which he does have.
Mistress Ellisena fought for several years to prevent her daughters from
receiving AOAs for several reasons and the people of Stargate respected her
wishes.

If he understands the award system and its structure and the parents agree
then by all means recommend the minor for awards.  Lady Roselin is a prime
example of a child that was ready to receive her AOA at an early age.  Her
parents were consulted and agreed to the recognition.

Rhiannon

Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 15:35:08 MST
From: Aline Swynbrook <alineswynbrook at yahoo.com>
Subject: ANST - SCA Clubs  at  Yahoo
To: ansteorra at ansteorra.org

I have noticed a few mentioned, so I will plug mine.
http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/scateens

For any and all teens (or teens at heart) in the
Society.  Many members are also on the SCA-Teen
mailing list  at  onelist.com

So, let your area young adults know...

Aline

Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 09:53:04 -0700
From: "Laura C. Minnick" <lcm at efn.org>
Subject: Re: SC - Worst feast ever...

Seton1355 at aol.com wrote: 
> That's terriffic Lainie!  sounds like you have a wonderful daughter!
> Phillipa
> <<
>  My oldest daughter Annie (Lady Rotrude) started out at age 5, keeping
>  the water carafes filled, served as the 'Little Water Girl' in her
>  wooden shoes, apron and headscarf for years, and graduated to serving
>  food and working in the kitchen. At 16 she's welcome staff just about
>  anywhere. >>

Why, thank you! It gets better though- it has been my policy when I take
the Gang o' Girls (up to 6 teenaged girls, and yes, I'm very brave) to
events, that they _must_ put in service time- in the kitchen, serving,
waterbearing at tourneys, whatever. Gets them out and participating, and
it teaches them just how much goes into putting an event on. I even make
them go shopping with me before an event so they can see just how much
it costs and how to budget and manage food, etc. Heh, heh, heh...
education, masked as 'fun'... I'm an eeeevil mommy...

'Lainie

Date: Wed, 18 Oct 2000 13:14:58 -0700
From: "Laura C. Minnick" <lcm at efn.org>
Subject: Re: SC - Worst feast ever...

Olwen the Odd wrote:
> I do pretty much the same thing with the teens I shuffle around.  There have
> been some camping events outside our Barony where I have insisted the girls
> pin a paper proclaiming their ages.  Better silly and safe.

We have a couple of belt favors that the girls must wear if they go out
for bardic, etc., in the evening. Black, with a large white Maltese
cross, with white lettering that clearly proclaims "My Uncle is a
Hospitaller".  The Hospitallers locally are a fairly well-known war
unit, most of them Very Large Men, and many of them call me 'Aunty
'Lainie'. Of course the question might be- who would you rather face- an
over-protective Hospitaller, or and over-protective (and angry!) Aunty
'Lainie?

'Lainie

From: Cat Clark <cat at rocks4brains.com>
Date: January 20, 2008 2:09:01 PM CST
To: ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] children and teen activities in the SCA

On Sun, 2008-01-20 at 09:17 -0800, ansteorra-request at lists.ansteorra.org
wrote:
> With scrolls feather quills could be used to show how to form the
> letters. I'm not sure I'd let smaller ones make their own quill pen.

In my now-soon-to-be-former kingdom, the first event
I attended here, I had every kid in the room under 16 watching
me intently for an hour as I unstoppered my made-from-scratch
iron and oak gall ink (and had an oak gall on hand to show off)
and proceeded to do a fancy-calligraphy-style scroll with cadel
using the quill I cut on the spot, on some vellum I had helped
to make.  They had never seen anyone write with a quill before
other than in movies - so I took the time to show them how the
end cut on the quill nib makes it easy to make medieval letters.
I just took the school teacher filter out, turned it on and
gave them the "from the ground up" talk for younger students
on the evolution of paper, ink, pens and writing.  Best class
full of youngsters I ever encountered.  (I don't believe in
blowing off interested kids if I have to time to spare - kids
interested in something historical? You bet I'll take the time!
After some of the students I've run into, 'ya sure yebetcha I'll
make that investment of time with kids who are interested! When
I think of all the times I got blown off as a kid, I just can't
do it to other kids in turn.)

I have subsequently found that there are a lot of SCA kids
out there in the 10 to 14 range who can learn to cut a decent
quill and learn to do a decent early gothic secretary hand
with it in under an hour when they are allowed into a regular
collegium class (with parent/guardian attached unless I already
know the kid) with the adults.  I treat them just like the
adults - which most kids that age really take to. It's awesome
what you can get out of a kid when you treat them with equal
respect and don't talk down to them, which many people do
subconsciously without realizing. About half walk out of the
class doing better calligraphy than many of the adult students,
who can have a lot more years of bad writing habits to overcome
than the kids. (I let the parent make the call if the kid gets
to use one of the pen knives for cutting quills in a class, and
most do let their kids do so - after they sign a permission slip;
teaching science and crafts in the litiginous land of California
has left me just a tad cautious...)

Strangely enough, the kids 15 and up have not been students of
the same caliber as the ones 10 to 14. Some of them have gotten
too callous, cocky and cynical to be engaged as students in
learning the joys of writing properly as people were meant to
write their medieval letters, with real quills. Too many teenagers
brought to events because their parents didn't want to leave them
at home. (You bring a horse to water...) Sad, that.

Therasia
(no longer lurking, moving to Ansteorra in 2 weeks)

From: Deborah Wade <rhiannonferchcian at yahoo.com>
Date: January 20, 2008 5:26:59 PM CST
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] children and teen activities in the SCA

During the time that I've been involved in the SCA role that we expect our children to play has changed. 

Currently, if you want teens and children to participate the parent (responsible adult) has to be willing to take time from his or her chosen activities to ensure that their child has the opportunity to participate.  Teens can and will participate in anything that interests them if you give them a chance and most of the ones that come to events are extremely well behaved and appreciate it when someone takes the time to work with them individually or as a group.  I know that Jacquelinne has always appreciated the time that Dons and other rapier fighters take to work with her as a young fighter.  She will come and show me what she learned the next time we practice then teach it to the other kids in Rosenfeld.

If you came by the kitchen at Coronation you could have seen up to 5 teens working in the kitchen.  They chopped, stirred, mixed and cleaned all day long.  Four of these were on the Youth Rapier field as soon as they were able to fight.  They participate in all of the activities that an adult can as long as their respective adult is willing to give up a little time and participate in what the youth wants to do.  

The key for any teen or child is to get them involved in whatever interests them this week. It may and will change over time.  

Rhiannon ferch Cian

From: Donna Nesbit <themaefare at yahoo.com>
To: cat at rocks4brains.com; Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc. ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:13 pm
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] children and teen activities in the SCA

I saw a woman teach her eighth grade class how to drop spin.  The "class clown"
> was the best spinner.  She belongs to the SCA and used her talents in a 
> history classroom.  Children are interested-- you just have to find the spark.
>
>  Penelope

From: "Judie Willey" <littledragon0861 at gmail.com>
Date: January 21, 2008 8:12:06 PM CST
To: "Kingdom of Ansteorra - SCA, Inc." <ansteorra at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Ansteorra] children and teen activities in the SCA

Greetings unto the List,

I see a lot of complaints about Youth Activities, but none who are willing
to undertake the responsibility of volunteering to teach or take on the job
of MoC.

In my three years here in Steppes, as the MoC, I have scheduled numerous
classes for Youth, and had excellent turn out, except for the teens.

They appear to be more interested in playing with their game boys, or
running around in packs, than in learning. I blame a lot of this on the
adults for not taking closer charge of those between the ages of 12 and 16 (
where they actually can fight etc)

One suggestion I have made, which I have never received any response to, is
that we develop a mentoring program where the teens can work with the
various officers within their Barony or Canton and learn about what it takes
to run an office...no I am not saying give them the checkbook...but teach
them what we do.

I also suggest that if you have teens in your Barony etc, when planning an
event, allow them to be " deputy stewards" as well as help plan various
portions of the event.

If we give them some of the responsibility they may actually enjoy the
events more.

Stepping down off her soapbox
Hadassah

On Jan 21, 2008 2:58 PM, <marlyna at aol.com> wrote:
> I have done this before. When I was teaching in Bonwicke, I had my
> students make a T-tunic by hand, weave on the Inkle loom, write the school
> song in calligraphy, the paint the border around it, and write a comparison/
> contrast paper. Then several SCA members came and we did a demo in garb. We
> then put everything in a glass showcase for the whole school to see. I saw
> more students stop and look at our display than at any other that was
> displayed that year. A couple of years later, I saw one of my ex-students
> and he told me that he still had that T-tunic. That was one unit that they
> will never forget.
>
> Later, I moved to Austin, and I took my Inkle loom to a classroom and
> taught several classes how to weave. The teacher liked it so much that she
> asked the woodshop teacher to make her a loom.
>
> Lady Marlyna

<the end>