Re: Child Labor in Community - Future Evolution | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: Mmariner (Mmarineraol.com) | |
Date: Mon, 2 Dec 1996 00:20:48 -0600 |
Responding to Rob S., Anne V. and others on if/how much work kids and teens should be expected to do. Given where most of us have come from -- from a single household minimally connected to other households, families, subcultures, etc., it's not surprising that we would see kids' roles being totally the responsibility of their parents. My personal goal is to have my life be less fragmented and conflicted -- more integrated and holistic. I suspect many of us share this goal. I'll bet as our communities mature that a balance of community and parental expectations will evolve re kids. (I just moved into Nyland Cohousing as a rentor in an existing family household, so I'll be getting real-life experience soon!) One of the many shortcomings of mainstream society is a dearth of rites of passage that mark the changes in freedoms and responsibilities when we enter a new life stage. These stages don't have to be limited to birth, puberty, marriage, death. Most of us go through pretty major changes every 7 to 10 years. If we start celebrating rites of passage, it will become clear for all ages what expectations go with a stage. As young folks are taking on more of the hard labor, elders transition to being "wise elders." Within a family, parents decide when kids have more rights, when bedtimes change, chores change and increase, etc. Obviously schools vary their behavioral expectations as the child moves to each new grade. Now we if we allow community to also provide guidelines about what's expected at different ages - (guidelines that are consistent with home and school) then kids and teens can live within a more secure structure and have clear guidelines to help them transition to the next phase without a lot of rebellion and inter-generation wear and tear. A further evolution might be where schools are integrated into the (cohousing) community in a web of learning that is not separate from family and community except when young folks leave to pursue advanced education, apprenticeships or otherwise go outside the community. Can't stop trying to envision the future.... Michael M Nyland
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