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BirthdaysThatROCK!MostLovedBirthdayMilestones

B.NicoleHunt

Godgaveusthegiftoflife;itisuptoustogiveourselvesthegiftofliving

well.HistorianandwriterVoltairecouldnthavesaiditbetter.Birthdaysareinaclassalltheirown;achanceforustopamperourselvesandtheoneswelove.Every

year,familiesandindividualsaroundtheworldtakespecialtimeouttocelebrate

thedaytheywereborn.Somechoosetocommemoratetheirliveswithlavishand

overthetoppartiesorexcursions,whileotherssimplyspendthedaywithloved

onesorenjoyingalittlerestandrelaxation.Everyyearoflifeisagiftworth

cherishing,butcertainbirthdayscomewithanextratouchofexcitement.For

children,therearefoursignificantageswhenparents,lovedonesandfriendstend

topulloutallthestops.

Aliveat5!

IntheAmericaneducationalsystem,achildsfifthbirthdaymarksthebeginningoftruelearning.Schoolisnolongeraplacewhereyoucanshowupor

notshowup,takeanaphalfwaythroughthedayorspendcountlesshoursdrawing

picturesorrunningthroughtheplayground.Itisnowaplaceofinstruction;aplace

togainafoundationforthefuture.TheABCsand123squotedinpreschoolareput

touseinsentencesandeverydaycommunication.Abirthdayforafiveyearoldhas

allthesignsofyouthandfolly:clowns,balloons,facepaintingortoysgalore.Until

thispoint,somekidshavebeenrelyingontrainingwheelsasameansofprotection

fromthewilesoftheopenroad.Onthisday,however,thetrainingwheelscomeoff,

andtheyweebleandwobbletheirwayintocyclingperfection.Turningfivemarks

thestartof12yearsofhigherlearningandadventure.Insteadofcartoons,crayons

andPlay-Doh,achildslifeisnowfilledwithfieldtrips,teamsports,classprojects

andnewfriends.

Tweens,CultureandBirthdays

Birthdayscomeinallshapes,sizesandcultures.Afewageshavesomeprettybigculturalandreligiousresponsibilitiestackedonforalittleextraflare.

Confirmationisceremonyperformedinseveraldenominationsofthe

Christianchurch.Nospecificageisgiven,butitisrecommendedthatparticipantsbe

attheageofreasonorearlyadolescence.Aslongastheyareabletofullygraspthe

meaningsoftheteachingsintheBible,baptismandHolyCommunion,theceremonyisperformedbyabishopinthechurchofchoice.Theceremonyisamature

statementoffaiththattraditionallyleadstodeeperunderstandingandabetter

relationshipwithGod.

ManyLatinAmericancountriesandthoseofLatinAmericandescentinthe

UnitedStatesuseatraditionalceremonyknownasquinceaera.Fifteen-year-old

youngladiesinthesehouseholdsholdtheirbreathforthisbigmoment.This

birthdaymarksthetransitionfromchildhoodtoyoungwomanhood.Somecountries

orfamiliescelebrationshavemoreofareligiousovertonethanothers.Typically,a

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quinceaerainvolvestheyoungwomanwearingaspeciallydesignedornicedress,a

traditionaldancewithapartnerorherfamily,apartyandsometimesa

ThanksgivingMassiftheyoungwomanisCatholic.

Thirteen.Nolongereligibleforthekidsmenu,butnotquitereadyforR-

ratedmovies.WhetheryouwereraisedinatraditionalAmericanornon-religious

familyoramemberoftheJewishfaith,turning13marksthebeginningofteenagelifeandtheacceptanceofnewresponsibilities.

ForyoungboysandgirlsraisedinJewishhouseholds,turning13ushers

themintobarorbatmitzvah,whichHebrewgrammartranslatesasbecomingason

ordaughterofthecommandment.Atthispivotalage,theyarenowresponsibleforlearningandfollowingtherules,practicesandbeliefsoftheirfaith.Theprocessis

culminatedwithaceremonyandfollowedby,youguessedit,aparty.

Whilethereligiousaspectofthisageisoverwhelminglysignificant,itisalso

celebratedwithlighter,lessritualizedactivities.Irecallmyownthirteenthbirthday;

howIspentthedaysurroundedbymyclosestfriendsatthelocalthemepark.Itwasthefirsttimeourparentsleftusattheparkforthedayanddidntreturnuntil

nightfall.Howgrownupwewere!ThedayendedwithasleepoverwheremybestgirlfriendsandIstayedupwellpastournormalbedtimechattingaboutboys,bands

andhowwecouldntwaittobesixteen.Perhaps13isalastattempttoholdonto

childhood.Youreoldenoughtoknowbetter,butstillyoungenoughtoprobablyget

awaywithcertainindiscretions.However,therealshiftinresponsibilitiescomesa

fewyearslater.

GettingBehindtheWheel

Parentsholdontoyourhats!OrshouldIsay,Buckleup!Everyyear,the

localDMVispackedwithhungry16yearoldsjustitchingtogetbehindthewheel.

Theyvespentthesummerindriverseducation,givenmomanddadaheartattack

whilehittingthehighwayforthefirsttimeorhadtheopportunitytopickouttheirnewcar.Theyrefresh-facedandwide-eyedwithexcitement;readyfortheworld.

Yes,16mightbethesecondbestmilestonebirthday.

Whilesomestateshavedeemed16thelegalagefordrivingwithoutanadult,thisyearisalsooneofnewfoundresponsibility.Parentsbegintotrusttheirchildren

aloneinthehousewhiletheytakesmallvacationsorleavethemwithyoungersiblingsforperiodslongerthananafternoon.Manyyoungsters,iftheyhavent

already,takeupapart-timejob.At16,theworldstartstomakealittlemoresense.

Jobsmakemoney,moneybuysmaterialthingsandmaterialthingsproducepopularity.Youngpeoplebecomemoreawareofthemselvesandtheirsurroundings

atthisage.WhoamI?WheredoIfitin?Questionsregardingthefuturestarttobrew

inthebackoftheirminds.WhereshouldIgotocollege?DoIevenwanttogo?WhodoIwanttobe?

Inthemidstofalltheuncertainty,responsibilityandlicensure,ofcourse

thereisalwaysroomforacelebration.Popcultureeventookastabatthisgroupvia

MTVsMySuperSweetSixteen.Theshow,whichairedfrom2005-2008,

highlightedtheextravagantandsometimesunnecessarybirthdaycelebrationsfor

thechildrenofHollywoodsfinestoryoungstersinshowbiz.Theshowgaveevery

girlandboysomethingtodreamandhopefortheirownsweetsixteen.Many

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familiesmakeitapointtothrowtheirchildrenasoireefitforroyalty,whileothers

simplyshowerthemwithlove,afewnicecardsorgifts,andmaybe,justmaybe-a

neworgentlyusedcaroftheirown.Eitherway,turning16isthelightattheendof

thetunnelthatleadstoadulthood,andthesekidsarepreparedtohittheground

running-ordriving.

FreeatLast!

Somewheretoday,ayoungmanorwomanwokeupfeelingdifferent;like

maybethebigbadfuturewasntsoscaryafterall.Whileturning18markstheendof

childhoodfollies,italsomarksthestartofadulthood,andmaybeevenalifefilledwithadventure.At18,youngsterscanleavehome,gotocollege,jointhemilitary,

attendrecreationalactivitiespreviouslyreservedforadultsandsomuchmore.At

18,thepossibilitiesareinfiniteandtheslateisnewandfresh.Theyveturnedtheir

tasselsandmadeplansforthefuture.Eighteenthbirthdayscomeequippedwith

muchresponsibility,butalsoabitoffun.Graduationtrips,collegetours,andmostimportantly,freedom-areallsignsofthispivotalbirthday.Atthisage,mostparents

havereleasedthereignsandallowedtheirchildrentomakeandberesponsiblefortheirowndecisions.Ofcourse,thereisstillahintofcontrolandworryastheywait

andwatchtoseehowwelltheirchildrenfollowtheteachingsandvalueslearnedat

home.

Ultimately,18yearoldspossessasenseoffreedom,fearlessnessand

adventurenotfoundinanyotheragegroup.Theylivelifebytheminuteandarent

afraidtomakemistakes.Someofthemleavehome,whetherforcollege,militaryor

otherendeavors,andneverreturnunlessitsaholidayorforahotmeal.Others

comecrawlingbackwithwarstoriesandbruisedegos,butabettersenseofwho

theyareandhowtheworldworks.Thatiswherethebeautyofturning18lies.The

senseofaccomplishmentcoupledwiththedesiretoexperienceeverythingfuel

theseyoungsterstoheightstheyneverimagined.Renownedchildrensauthor,Dr.SeussstateditbestinhisclassicbookOh,thePlacesYoullGo:Youvegotbrainsin

yourhead.Youhavefeetinyourshoes.Youcansteeryourselfinanydirectionyou

choose.Youreonyourown,andyouknowwhatyouknow.Youretheguythatlldecidewheretogo.

Abirthdaycertainlyisntjustanotherdayonthecalendar.Everyyear,eventhosenotsospecialholdsitsownuniquesignificancetothepersonwho

experiencesit.Anothernewyearoflifeisanotheryeartolearn,growandhopefully

havealittlefun.Sohoweveryoucelebrate-whetherwithlargeparties,afewfriendsorjustsomequiettimeforyourself,celebrateitwell.Youoweittoyourself.Happy

Birthday!