The Old Order Amish April 2014 | Page 7

6. Family

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6. Family – the Centre of Life

The force keeping the Amish together is not only the power of the community as a whole, but the notion of family as well. Their whole lives revolve around the family and home. Most of them are born, die and work at home. Their social lives also take place at home: even their weddings are organized there. The Amish say a person shouldn’t move too far away from home: everybody should be able to see the parental home.

In an Amish family, everyone has their own place and role. Fathers are supposed to ensure the financial stability of the family; mothers bring up the children, maintain the atmosphere of the home and help with easier jobs. Children are essential parts of families, they have to take their part in the work on the fields. It is not unusual that more generations live on the same farmstead, sharing the hardships and work.