All Else Confusion

Is it outrageous to expect that they dress nicely for important events and that they spend a day, every once in a while, quietly? One of the rules for our Confirmation retreat is a dress code which stipulates no jeans, sweat pants, or shorts. One of the parents suggested that maybe we were being a bit unreasonable to expect that 8th graders would actually show up not wearing jeans. I realize that most teenagers hardly ever wear anything but jeans, but is it really that unreasonable to ask them to wear something just a little nicer for one day? Or how about spending a day quietly? Are 13 year olds really so incapable of spending several hours without running around, playing games, etc.? I am tired of the argument that no one will live up to the standards we set and so we should not set them at all. It's time to start demanding more from people and stop expecting less - even if it is only to ask that jeans not be worn on a retreat.

Labels: DRE