Several weeks after we moved into our new home, LV's mother decided we need a a housewarming to be properly welcomed into the new community. She wanted to have it as a surprise but somehow found out that LV and I both really, really dislike surprises like that and let us know about her plans a day in advance.
I was glad for the warning as I made sure that everything was unpacked and in it's place. Our house was actually looking quite cozy. I was glad we could still use the electricity and were able to use the ceiling fans and air conditioning which gave us a little relief from the awful heat. We had a year to get our house "Amishified" and were in no hurry. At least our first summer was going to be a little more bearable while we got used to the climate.
Evening of the housewarming arrived and everyone came with their tractors and ugly little trailers and parked helter skelter anywhere they felt like on the yard. They had brought food and lawn chairs and a few benches along that were set up in the yard. The youngfolks and children decided they would rather be in the house where it was cooler than outside in the heat and being eaten by all the insects that abounded in that area.
They soon found several of the children balls and were trying to hit the spinning fan blades with them. They helped themselves to what ever they felt like and touched and looked at what ever caught their fancy. I was getting very disgruntled and wanted nothing more than just send everyone home. I had never met such a disrespectful arrogant bunch of young people in my life.
Sunbeam needed care and I went inside to take care of her. I got there just in time to see a bunch of the teen boys in our loft wiggling the railing until it was wobbly and then pulling Sailors big round built in bed apart and throwing the blankets and sheets down into the living room.
I was livid and would happily have whipped all of them if I would have been able to. Thankfully the evening ended somehow and everyone left. LV and I both vowed we would never invite the community to come to our house ever again, and for once were very happy that our house wasn't big. It would make that we wouldn't have to have church at our place and have everything torn to bits again.
Monday, June 6, 2011
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I can't imagine such dreadful behavior from anybody's children! I would not have hesitated for one second to read them the riot act and send them all outside. Or even do a "Mr. Yoder, could you come help me for a moment?" and let Poppa walk in on his misbehaving offspring.
ReplyDeleteHow awful! I've had some children in our home at different times, but nothing as bad as that! I agree with Lady Anne. I would have spoken to the children, or maybe not. Maybe I'd have gone directly outside as if I'd not noticed, and had parents come inside to find this horrendous scene.
ReplyDeleteSorry that you had to endure that!
Respect and manners are not being instilled into most children these days. It really is a shame. And do not even get me started on their clothing! Ugh! Just because you are born in your birthday suit doesn't mean you should advertise it!
ReplyDeleteOur house had a lot of floor to ceiling windows and the parents did see what was going on inside but only thought it was funny and didn't do anything about it.
ReplyDeleteFunny?! Amish or not, those children needed to be sharply spoken to. How horrid for you.
ReplyDeleteWOW!! I'm curious to read more of your memories and see how long you actually lived in this community.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful; worse still that the parents could see what was going on and found it funny! I would have been furious too! I hope it didn't take too much to repair the damage they did.
ReplyDeleteforgive me, i just started reading, but were these amish children?
ReplyDeleteAAAGGGGHHHH, awkward to say the least! It's easy to say that you should've said something, but when you're new to a place it's not comfortable and I think the "shock" factor just takes over. It's funny though, if someone were treating one of your children roughly, you'd jump right in (any mama would), but when it's a house or something, we all tend to hesitate - at first anyway. You poor thing - ugh. ♥
ReplyDeleteWhat a dreadful introduction to your new community. What did your in-laws think of all this, I wonder? You must have really been second-guessing your decision to move by now!
ReplyDeleteI had to smile a little when I saw that they had thrown balls at the spinning ceiling blades. Deplorable behavior in someone else's home, to be sure, but my sister, cousin and I used to do the same thing in our cousin's house (using one of those antenna toppers, instead). We're lucky we never broke anything, but it did provide a couple hours of entertainment between the time we got off school and the time our parents got home from work. I am astonished that your young guests were so destructive, and that their parents did nothing. That's horrible.
ReplyDeleteclumsymummsy.... yes they were Amish and most of them were between the age of 13 to somewhere in their 20's. Certainly old enough to know better!
ReplyDeleteKnitwit.... It certainly didn't make us feel welcome and had us second guessing even more that we had made the right decision. My mother-in-law thought those boys could do no wrong. :(
Well, I think you just dispelled the myth that all Amish children are sweet, obedient, and orderly. To hear that any children, let alone young adults, did this is upsetting. If it is any consolation, I once had a young family visit unexpectedly that snapped my sons playpen railing in two, right in front of their mother, who said not a word to them or me.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine having guests behaving like that. I'm sure I WOULD HAVE sent them all home!
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm sitting here in shock. I grew up in a conservative community - my parents left the plain church when they married but my grandparents were Beachy Amish and most of my aunts and uncles were Conservative Mennonite. I can't imagine my sister, me, or any of my cousins acting like that without consequence! The boys' behavior just amazes me, especially knowing that their parents could see what they were doing and did nothing to reprimand them. I would have guessed the reckless boys were much younger, but that still wouldn't have made their behavior acceptable. Wow... still trying to comprehend the scene. :(
ReplyDeleteSorry but I'm just speachless I allways think of Amish children as nice little poppets when you said thier ages well that threw me in a loop.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a way to welcome you, huh? I'm such a neat freak...I'm sure I would have lost it after that experience. Kudos to you for keeping your cool, at least on the outside! :)
ReplyDeleteI can't believe that any responsible parent would allow their children to be so irresponsible.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to hear when things like this happens. We too had to stop having families over that did not discipline their children as our own children’s toys were being destroyed. It broke our hearts, but we simply felt we had no choice. Even the church we attended at that time had to put in some rules, “If your children broke something, you paid for it.” From a very young age our children knew the fear of the Lord and respected the property of others and their own.
ReplyDeleteMrs. J.
I would have been far from happy! I don't blame you a bit for not wanting to invite them back!
ReplyDelete