Rites of passage

[peggyfromwastate]

What is something you do with your kids alone or as a family that you see as a sort of right of passage? An indicator of a transition from one phase of life to another? Maybe not an all-of-a-sudden transformation... But the beginning of a process.

I just finished book 7 of "The Chronicles of Narnia" series with ds9. We started the series when he was 8--- maybe book 1 was even before that as we had the crazy summer where we didn't do much regular routine stuff. I have read this series to all my kids, and it seems to be the beginning of the end of the "reading to my kids" stage. It's definitely bittersweet. After finishing this series, I generally start Harry Potter, but invariably the kids want to read ahead and I never seem to get past book 3.

Are there any rights of passage in your family?

[ladymoreta]

Aww, that's so sweet! I can't wait to start reading chapter books to my kids! The first one I remember my mom reading was The Secret Garden. Sorry, I have nothing to add yet, but I love this post!

[MrsK]

Gosh, I don't think I understand what you are defining as a "rite of passage". I consider all the firsts to be rites of passage. First solid foods, weaning, first steps, first haircuts, first day of preschool, getting a tricycle, meeting a new sibling. Then there is celebrating each of the holidays and birthdays. Particularly, I think in terms of Jewish rites of passage. The boys' bris and naming were big milestones for me. Also, I got very emotional the first time K1 stood on the bimah while the ark (cabinet that holds the Torah) was opened. There was just something so awesome about seeing his tiny curly head looking up at the Torah for the first time up close. Although we aren't strictly observant, we are aware of rituals for weaning/introduction of solid foods, first hair cuts, and every little milestone along the way to their Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, etc. If we were very observant, we'd ritualize everything. There is something very comforting for me in pausing to note that these little things are significant, that each step is part of a long journey, and that these milestones were along the path that our ancestors followed as well.

[peggyfromwastate]

I guess I'm more referring to the change from child to more independent person. From the stage where the kids define themselves in terms of their family to where they grapple with "who am I" as an independent self...

I think of the myriad firsts as more milestones I guess. I remember those events, but my kids generally do not.

I just thought as I look back at my journey with all my kids that reading this series of books usually started when the kids were old enough to follow the story and be interested in it, and by the end of the series they were "different" people.