Train up a child…
Turning Twelve is a Big Deal

A child’s twelfth birthday is a gigantic step. It is the gateway to adulthood, a time of awakening, and a fulfillment of the dream of “growing up”. Many cultures recognize this birthday for the importance associated with it. Some American Indian tribes have rituals for the children. Jewish folks celebrate Bat Mitzvah for girls. (Bar Mitzvah for boys is celebrated at age thirteen) This signifies the time that children become responsible for observing the Commandments. Age twelve is the time many places start charging adult fares. Some societies even allow marriage at this age.
Young children are often told to eat their food so they can grow up like mommy or daddy. When they actually do, don’t we sometimes wish they could stay young and innocent? At the twelfth birthday, we realize that our little ones are not babies anymore! They are facing a world—-sometimes a cruel world and sometimes a wonderful world—that is very uncertain.
What goes through the mind of a twelve-year-old? There is joy because now they are beginning to feel grown-up. There is fear of the unknown. There is some confusion and much uncertainty.
It is important to give a great deal of attention to the birthday of a twelve-year-old. Parents and others in contact with the boy/girl can use this time as a great opportunity to instill attitudes and truths. It would be great if churches had special programs for this age. Even schools could take advantage of this opportunity to have programs recognizing the fact that children are becoming adults.
When our oldest grandson was twelve, he was staying with us for the summer. We were attending a little country church with few members. We had a special program for him one Sunday evening in the church. He sat up in front of the congregation and each person in the congregation talked to him about growing up. Some read poems. Some quoted favorite Scriptures that would be helpful to him in his future. Some simply gave advice. It was a special time.
We often go to great extremes to give a one-year-old a great birthday party when he/she doesn’t even know what is going on. Shouldn’t we do even more for a twelve-year-old who is facing a big world of uncertainty and needing the assurance of the love of those adults in his/her surroundings?