The Amish Way of Helping Troubled Teens

The Amish people have their own unique beliefs andbecome members of the church. As prosperity
unique way of handling troubled teens. Amish troubledincreases, Amish youth become more self indulgent
teens are taught the benefits of hard work, theand lazy. Drugs and pornography enter these
importance of finishing tasks and assume responsibilitycontrolled communities and have a negative impact on
at a young age. Work cures all is the basis of thesome teenagers. Adolescents have more money and
Amish remedy for troubled teens.more leisure than their parents. Adolescents who work
The Amish are a group of Anabaptist Christians whooutside the community are also subject to the
believe in simple communal living and hard work. Theirnegative influence of out of the community peers.
religion is based on coming to individual conclusionsIt is generally believed that small communal churches
based on the Bible. Self sufficiency, discipline and hardare harsh in their punishments to difficult adolescents,
work are the main principles of the Amish way of life.this is not strictly true. Amish elders work with troubled
Amish teenagers live within the Amish social circle andteenagers to help them see the error of their ways
learn to become well adjusted adolescents and adults.rather than deal out harsh punishments for negative
However, with the inroads made by the outside worldbehavior. Some Amish parents end their children away
into the Amish way of life, it is not unusual to findto other Amish communities to work so that the
troubled Amish teenagers who have negative habitsnegative behavior does not impact other children in the
and behavior.community. Some elders are designated as surrogate
As prosperity increases and Amish youth workguardians and disciplinarians to help rehabilitate
outside the community, Amish parents are unable towayward Amish youth. The Amish have special
exercise control over them. One of the principles ofmental facilities where troubled teenagers are treated
the Amish people is voluntary adult baptism and thethrough faith and psychological healing processes.
church has no control over adolescents until they