When you go to mass, how does your toddler behave inside the church?
By iskayz
@iskayz (5420)
Philippines
October 12, 2008 7:48am CST
Hi everyone!
We just arrived home from attending mass at a nearby church. I was with my siblings and a nephew. My nephew is almost 2 years old and at his mischievous age. I have noticed that most children are noisy at church. Some even shouts and runs around and its distracting to mass goers. Some parents have their nannies running and following their kids inside the church. While others just seem not to care if their kids causes distractions.
I don't seem to agree bringing kids inside the church. If you're going to bring a kid then you must be able to control them. Don't let them run around, roam, shout and play inside the church. Even if they have nannies following them. The nannies can also distract mass goers cause they too will be roaming around while following the kids. I believe our children's behavior somehow reflect what kind of parents they have.
I am surprised how my nephew behaved while attending mass. He is a mischievous child but well behaved inside the church. We try to control him whenever he wants to run around and follow the other kids. We talks to him in a firm voice but not in an angry manner.
How about your kids? Do they behave inside the church? Do you train your kids how to behave in other places? What can you say about parents who lets their kids play while attending mass? Do you bring your toddlers with you to attend mass?
Please do share!
We just arrived home from attending mass at a nearby church. I was with my siblings and a nephew. My nephew is almost 2 years old and at his mischievous age. I have noticed that most children are noisy at church. Some even shouts and runs around and its distracting to mass goers. Some parents have their nannies running and following their kids inside the church. While others just seem not to care if their kids causes distractions.
I don't seem to agree bringing kids inside the church. If you're going to bring a kid then you must be able to control them. Don't let them run around, roam, shout and play inside the church. Even if they have nannies following them. The nannies can also distract mass goers cause they too will be roaming around while following the kids. I believe our children's behavior somehow reflect what kind of parents they have.
I am surprised how my nephew behaved while attending mass. He is a mischievous child but well behaved inside the church. We try to control him whenever he wants to run around and follow the other kids. We talks to him in a firm voice but not in an angry manner.
How about your kids? Do they behave inside the church? Do you train your kids how to behave in other places? What can you say about parents who lets their kids play while attending mass? Do you bring your toddlers with you to attend mass?
Please do share!2 people like this
3 responses
@Shar19 (8231)
• United States
12 Oct 08
When we go to church we bring our kids, 3 and 6. We just started taking them to "Sunday School" so that helps them learn and be occupied. When they would sit with us for the church services they would always get antsy so when that would happen we'd take them out into the hallway to calm them down. We never tolerated them being noisy in church. Parents need to take control of their children even if it means you have to leave church.
1 person likes this
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
Hi! You are doing well in handling your kids when inside the church. You are actually showing a good example of good parenting. It's understandable that kids are kids but they can understand enough and if we tolerate some of their bad behavior they grew up with it. So better teach them at an early age.
Thanks for sharing!
1 person likes this
@curlyshirley (24)
•
12 Oct 08
Church should surely be a family event,if the parents go to the mass then they would in turn take their children too,thus bringing them up within the faith.If the kids are not included then it would be hard to raise the family as churchgoers,as the following geerations would be entering the faith later in life.Though we seem to worry about the children making noise or running about a little im sure that it is more than the priest is doing himself,he is more than likely pleased that his congregation has enlarged somewhat.I see what you say if the kids get too unruly,then it may well be wiser to take them out from the service and let them run off some steam,but not ban them from the mass altogether.Parenting children is a tough enough job,using discipline for children is also sa tough job,but do not alienate them.
1 person likes this
@iskayz (5420)
• Philippines
12 Oct 08
I agree with you that Sunday mass is a family event. It is one way of bonding with children. But I am also not saying that we should alienate kids from going to mass. If we do bring the kids, parents must be responsible enough to control them when they get noisy. There are priest that gets angry when the kids the play. I have also went to some churches that has sign boards saying "don't let the children play while attending mass". In our church in our hometown, before the mass begins, church officials will be reminding the mass goers about their kids to control them during the mass.
I think if parents won't be able to control their kid's behavior during mass, better bring them when they are old enough to understand.
Keep posting!
