Amish do enjoy sports and they like to play a lot of basketball, volleyball, and softball. And make no mistake, some of the Amish teens are very athletic, indeed good enough to play college athletics if ever given a chance.
For decades, summer weekends consist of large softball games that welcome other teams from all over the country and include some teams with Amish teens on rumspringa.
Electricity and the Amish
There’s a common misconception that the Amish are anti-electricity. But actually, Benjamin Franklin and the Amish are kind of friendly. While there are some extremely devout groups that follow the teachings to the letter, there are many others who understand that sometimes you just need to use electricity.
However, there’s a reason for avoiding electricity - an important teaching in the Amish community called “Gelassenheit.” The term, which can be translated to “letting be”, acknowledges the fact that the earth should be used as was originally intended by God. And also existing as people used to exist before technology. We know it works, because our ancestors did it – albeit everything was quite a bit slower.
School’s Out Past 8th Grade
Forget going to college, the Amish stop going to school past the 8th grade! They believe that learning anything more than what you do in this grade is unnecessary. Formal education isn’t required because most of the Amish will work on the land or focus on tasks that don’t require a university education.
It may seem a bit sexist, but the Amish, being as conservative and traditional as they are, ensure that men have chosen their life’s profession by then, and the women automatically go into domestic roles. There’s no need for calculus here, it seems!
The Concept of “Rumspringa”
Each teenager goes through a certain phase where they experience that first taste of rebellion – and the Amish are fully aware of this. They know that their lifestyle isn’t accepted by all, so they’ve created an event which is a rite of passage, in some ways.
Known as “Rumspringa”, which translates to “running around”, the event sees teens between 14 and 18 exiting the community for a period of time, to experience “English” life. Because you know, it wouldn’t be fair to not allow Amish kids to experience life outside their world. But in saying this, there’s another side which has led to some members leaving the community!
Strange Dating Rules
In Western society, it’s a worry for many parents that their children are sexually active. Many parents will put obstacles in the way of it happening. But the Amish, on the contrary, allow their kids to “sleep” together. However, it’s not at all what you're thinking.
The Amish take dating quite seriously, and it involves a process known as “bundling” – a girl and a boy who are seeing each other share a bed one night. They are fully clothed, and not touching one another, but they sleep side by side. This practice is supposed to help strengthen their bond.