There are three main keywords when it comes to involving teens in family history. They are: Respect. Connect. Expect. Today I want to share with you my thoughts on “Respect”. School for the average teen starts at 7:30 in the morning and lasts for 8 hours. Then the average teen usually has some kind of afterschool activity, if not multiple, such as play rehearsal, soccer practice, debate club, etc… Then many high schoolers go to work. After returning home from a tiring shift, they start on homework. This takes hours, especially if they are enrolled in any advanced classes. They go to bed and hope for some restful sleep before doing it all over again the next day. Please respect that most teens have a lot on their plate and are struggling to find a balance. It is discouraging when we hear our elders saying “Teens these days are always on their phones! Don’t they have anything better to do!”. (And trust me, we hear it all the time) I recommend that you respect them by instead saying something along the lines of, “I understand that you are really busy. If you ever would like to learn about your ancestors, I would be happy to help.” Teens already feel that they are not good enough. Don’t add to this by saying things that sound as if you look down on them for their lack of participation in genealogy. We are trying our best and sometimes we just need guidance, but we don’t realize it. Be patient.
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AuthorHi! I’m Sydney Orton. I am 18 years old and I love genealogy! I’ve been doing it for 7 years now and love sharing my passion with others. In my free time, I enjoy musical theatre, cooking, and kayaking. Archives
October 2018
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