Can You Imagine An Amish Person…

…paying for their child to get into college?

Clearly not, especially since most Amish children only go to school until the 8th grade.

Amish schoolhouse

The current situation with the “rich” and “privileged” paving the path to better chances of success are so predictable and so indicative of what is wrong with our society. Entitlement. Helicopter Parents. Lawnmower parents (who leave no bodies behind). It’s truly a horrible thing that is, in my opinion, ruining the chance of success for the American society to be anything other than mediocre, at best, in the future.

Look.  Here’s the deal, friends.  Children need to EARN their way to success. Period.

And, while we are on the subject, what IS success?  Is it THINGS?

Or is it something much more deeper and spiritual? You know, something like feeling good about yourself. Living a good life. Being happy. Not comparing yourself to others.  Those are REAL things that should be embedded in our children…not this whole obsession with fame, money, and 20 minutes of being interesting in social media.

One of the things I love about the Amish and Mennonites is their emphasis on the spiritual–not worldly–happiness. My Mennonite-raised father taught me this invaluable lesson. Buy what you can afford. Don’t overspend.  Don’t live above your means. Keys to happiness. My Mennonite grandfather always helped the destitute, stranded, wounded birds. Didn’t always end well but he did was right.  And my very Mennonite grandmother–my best friend!!!–lived her life trying to be humble and righteous but always felt she was failing.  In our opinions, she was the closest thing to a living saint (although, not being Catholic–they tortured and killed our ancestors!–we don’t really buy into the whole saint thing).

The Amish would never try to set up their children to succeed by “cheating” or “lying”. I find the whole situation totally deplorable.  How many potential students were denied access to potentially better futures because a select few very privileged children had parents who bought their way into college? And for what reason? To build their self-esteem, to educate them, or to merely be able to have bragging rights?

Amish children

The worst part is that those parents did not BELIEVE in their children’s educational ability to do it on their own.  Isn’t that our role? Give them wings and let them fly? Those who focus on the material junk are just adding more  superfluous stress onto young adults who need to find themselves…not live their parents’ faded dreams.

The Amish understand that it is OKAY to NOT be famous or extra successful or over the top wealthy.  If only more parents were like the Amish, maybe this silliness with the college scandal would not have happened at all.

One can only pray that a lesson will be learned from it….


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