It is the period when the young person is regarded as having reached maturity, and is permitted to attend the Sunday night "singings" that are the focus of courtship among the Amish; according to Amish sources, a youth who dares to attend one of these events before the age of 16 might be force-fed warm milk from a spoon, as a good-natured reminder to observe the lines of status. Members of the local church district often attend the singings and usually bring younger children along.