Sunday, June 22, 2008
STRUGGLE AT CHURCH?
Okay so does anyone struggle during sacrament meeting with their kids?? I'm sure I'm the only one ;). Honestly, up until about 3 months ago, I would have rather run a marathon than sit through sac mtng with my kids. And I even felt like I was the mom that came 110% prepared. From loading up on the quiet church activities, coloring books, snacks, beads to string, home made picture books...YOU NAME IT. But why was it always so miserable if I was always so prepared? I'll tell you why. BECAUSE I HAD TOO MUCH STUFF. After talking to a friend of mine who has 3 kids same age as mine, I decided to try what she does. And that's bring NOTHING. I didn't want to cut cold turkey so I started out by JUST bringing one little snack for each kid (b/c you have to have the same thing for each kid to avoid fighting of course) and then ONE COLORING BOOK FOR EACH KID. Let me just tell you how well improved our sacrament mtngs have been since then...BLISSFUL!!! There's way less fighting, bickering, and just less noise in general. Today was the first time we showed up with NOTHING- not even a snack for each of them. Once again, a successful Sunday! Alright- successful would be an overstatement- but definately one of the best ones we've had! Any other suggestions to make church a more pleasant experience??
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6 comments:
I have never heard of that advice. Bringing nothing. That's deep. I will for sure try it. My 3 year old and 18 month old always fight over something. Even if we have the same snack and the same drink, they still fight. I am so going to try that.
We have had many people giving us dirty looks at church for having noisy kids. They probably either don't have kids, or grandkids or they had just forgotten that it is really hard for the little ones to sit through a whole 75 minutes of sacrament meeting. My husband keeps telling me that our church is a family church and we are still gonna go to church.
Thanks for the tip. I wish we had more tips to give you. One thing I do with my 3 year old is that if he can not sit through the sacrament meeting and I have to take him out, I will take him to a empty classroom and he has to sit on a chair like a timeout. That works for him. So, he tries to sit still for us (for about another 5 mintues)
Yes- the older grumpy people who give dirty looks TOTALLY forgot that their kids, once upon a time, did the same things!!
I think FOR SURE my 5 year old doesn't HAVE to have activities to do for an hour during sac mtng. It's ONE HOUR and she right now is capable of just sitting there. My boys do get a little stir crazy but seriously with a little crayon and paper they are set and need nothing more. I know some parents when their kids are acting up and they have to take them out to the foyer, they will not let their kids down out of their arms to run around. I HAVE NOT CONQUERED THAT RULE YET (and probably never will). I think I'm too lazy as a mom to allow that. But I will have a talk with the kid and then take them right back in to sac mtng just so they don't think it's a free for all once they're out!!
Some things work for some kids...and some don't.
I'm glad I'm not the only one!! The NOTHING rule has worked for us for over a year now!! People think I'm absolutly crazy, and most moms I know have done the same thing and just "downsized." WIth Payton though it HAD to be nothing, because even chapstick out of the scripture bag was getting thrown two isles up when she was 18 months....With a new baby I'm sure I'll have to start bringing a bag with toys for him in a couple months....I'm going to miss going to church empty handed.
Mmmmm thank you so much for this one!
Yes Kristy!! You are one of the gals that inspired me to even TRY this!! I have a gal in my ward that has done it since day 1. I've thought she was CRAZY. You know what though...she literally brings NOTHING. And that just works for her kids- MOST OF THE TIME IT WON'T WORK FOR MINE. Which I am just fine with. So I just pick one activity a week to bring and it still works out great. My kids non stop minds and energy can't handle just sitting there quite yet. Anyhow...the kids are growing up so fast though and are capable of more than we think.
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