The 21st birthday in BW is a BIGGGG deal! We had the opportunity to attend the 21st birthday celebration of one of our BOTSCRU girls way down in Otse. It was an experience.
We assembled at UB, and took 4 cars full of students and staff down to Otse, a 45-min drive.
We arrive, and like most events, we wait... and wait...and wait. There is an inflated bounce castle, and they are erecting a tent, an elevated platform, and setting up tables for a big outdoor bash. Maybe two hours after, the festivities begin. There are probably 50-60 people of all ages assembled.
There are a few formalities, and then a huge meal is served. This is followed by some speeches, and then the gifts are presented one-by-one to the birthday girl. Then came some games for the adults. Then came dessert. Then came birthday cake.
There is a special presentation where the birthday celebrant is given her "keys" that marks her as an adult, and free to make adult decisions. It reminds me a bit of the bar and bat mitzvah, of which I have become a big fan. At about age 13 (12 for girls), children are there own identity for good or bad. They are beyond the stage of childhood, and they will choose what advice to take and what to ignore. The Jews are wise to go ahead and acknowledge this and declare 13 year olds as "sons and daughters of the law", with adult privileges and adult responsibilities.
If I could do it over, I would do this with each of our children.
If you have children under 12, give it some consideration.
We assembled at UB, and took 4 cars full of students and staff down to Otse, a 45-min drive.
We arrive, and like most events, we wait... and wait...and wait. There is an inflated bounce castle, and they are erecting a tent, an elevated platform, and setting up tables for a big outdoor bash. Maybe two hours after, the festivities begin. There are probably 50-60 people of all ages assembled.
There are a few formalities, and then a huge meal is served. This is followed by some speeches, and then the gifts are presented one-by-one to the birthday girl. Then came some games for the adults. Then came dessert. Then came birthday cake.
There is a special presentation where the birthday celebrant is given her "keys" that marks her as an adult, and free to make adult decisions. It reminds me a bit of the bar and bat mitzvah, of which I have become a big fan. At about age 13 (12 for girls), children are there own identity for good or bad. They are beyond the stage of childhood, and they will choose what advice to take and what to ignore. The Jews are wise to go ahead and acknowledge this and declare 13 year olds as "sons and daughters of the law", with adult privileges and adult responsibilities.
If I could do it over, I would do this with each of our children.
If you have children under 12, give it some consideration.
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