We decided to go to the Saturday night vigil - aside from Easter, I have never gone to a Saturday night service before. I was in a daring mood, so I decided to take Livvy, too. I took both kids into the "infant chapel" - aka, the "cry room", a quiet room off the sanctuary where you can hear and participate in the Mass, but not disturb anyone with little outbreaks or wriggly bodies.
Livvy was quite good. Boo was actually more wiggly. He is used to sitting in the pew and paying attention. The other dear mom in there has two beautiful children, and when I told her that we were "training" she said she's been "training" for seven years with three different kids. I think having the infant chapel is nice, but even for older toddlers or preschoolers, it's really an artificial environment, safe and non-intimidating, but not really conducive to learning to behave in the actual service. Olivia knew that we were in the wrong place. She wanted to go in and sing and pray with everybody else. I trust now that she will be "okay" in the service - I think next week I will take her to the 9:00am service, which has a children's Liturgy of the Word, so its full of families with kids. You hear kids the whole way through, and people have the expectation of little noises. Either that, or I will take her to the 7:30 am service by herself sometime, so we can practice being quiet in our own pew, and I can leave somewhat discreetly if we need to. With Boo I always sit way up front - because yeah those pews tend to be emptier - and we can see all the "action". I love to watch the wine and bread being prepared.
Oh, and the cry room had little plastic chairs and no kneelers. Kneeling on the floor - not fun. The other mom didn't bother. I can only guess that its not really expected. it would be way better for training if there were actual pews so the little ones can learn to sit in a pew.
When I first found out that not every service at St. Theresa's has a nursery available, I was appalled. What did they expect people to do with their kids? Did people with kids just not go to church? Was the Catholic church so non-supportive of people with kids? Now I realize it's a cultural difference. Children are a part of faith from their birth, and they're included, rather than separated until their old enough to understand. What I used to see as a deficiency, I now see as something beautiful, and something that fits better with my worldview.
Now waking up this morning and realizing I have already gone to church - that's weird. I'd probably be happy to just go again this morning, but I think Lee is going to love having a whole day to ourselves :)
5 comments:
We do like having the kids in church with us too. For Sunday mass we sit up front that way the kids can see. At daily mass, though, we sit in the back.
We never use the cry room. I find it's more conducive to their learning if they are in the church with everyone. If they get too loud, we just whisk them out into the narthex/lobby until they calm/quiet down.
Even with the little kids we attend masses with fewer children. It's quieter so they can hear better, the senior citizens of the parish enjoy seeing the kids too.
Yea but ladies we are at church from 9:30 or 10am to well after noon. And Rachel, when you were little you went to church on Sunday night as well and sat through an hour and a half pentecostal service from age 4 up. when you turned 4 they kicked you out of nursery. We also took you to revival weeks and missionary weeks. We did that with all four of you big kids. Many Sunday nights they did not have nursery. And you were expected to behave and you did. Rachel, did Community Bible Church have nursery? Cant remember.... they must have.... Bek was a handful!
I don't blame Elijah. I can pay attention better when I can see up close. If I was in the baby room I would just play or talk to people.
By the way, Daddy has been reading your blog and now he calls 'lij "Boo". He says that he can really see Elijah being a "Boo".
Mama - very true, and probably why I love having my kids with me so much. I even have good memories of listening to long services that didn't mean much to me but made me feel like a part of the church service anyway. I'm not saying that one way is better - just that at first I thought the Catholic way was terrible, and now I love it.
Most of the megachurches that we work with at work have extensive programs for every age level, with the family completely seperated. They have security systems with name tags and photo IDs - they have to! I like the closeness we always had as a family.
Yes, CBC had a nursery - Sarah and I worked in it sometimes.
I think I'm going to try taking Livvy to a daily mass all by herself for practice - and sit up front :)
I remember growing up in a small Baptist church as a child and as a teen being in prayer meetings with all older than me... no teens or kids. I never questioned it, I just went. It stayed with me my whole life. It was a constant in my life, a comfort.
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