Comments on: “Cranky Scowlmouths” and Kids in Mass – What’s the Answer? http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/02/09/cranky-scowlmouths-and-kids-in-mass-whats-the-answer/ Just another WordPress weblog Wed, 13 Apr 2011 01:09:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Marie H. http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/02/09/cranky-scowlmouths-and-kids-in-mass-whats-the-answer/comment-page-1/#comment-8333 Marie H. Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:45:28 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=8315#comment-8333 I have an almost two year-old and a 3-month old. I don't see anything wrong with a snack at mass for my toddler or having some quiet toys. I am teaching her to stay in the pew, and yes, sometimes eating a snack does the trick, or having some juice. It's a miracle that we make it to mass at all some days, because we don't have a chance to feed our daughter a snack before church. So please, show some mercy. Toddlers do not need to fast. Yes, she will not be allowed to always snack or have a sippy cup, but it can keep her more focused than an empty stomach. I think it's key to have things for children to have something to "do" while in the pews when their attention diverges from our beautiful mass. They don't have the cognitive skills to understand what's going one. So, yes, bring board books about mass or the Bible, but parents need to engage their kids at mass--tell them what's going on. "We're going to listen to the reading in the Bible. See the book?" "There's Jesus's body. Look." or "There's Jesus's blood." Kids need to be primed to learn and pay attention appropriate to their age. Show some love for those of us who want to give our children a snack or sippy cup during mass! I have an almost two year-old and a 3-month old. I don’t see anything wrong with a snack at mass for my toddler or having some quiet toys. I am teaching her to stay in the pew, and yes, sometimes eating a snack does the trick, or having some juice. It’s a miracle that we make it to mass at all some days, because we don’t have a chance to feed our daughter a snack before church. So please, show some mercy. Toddlers do not need to fast. Yes, she will not be allowed to always snack or have a sippy cup, but it can keep her more focused than an empty stomach. I think it’s key to have things for children to have something to “do” while in the pews when their attention diverges from our beautiful mass. They don’t have the cognitive skills to understand what’s going one. So, yes, bring board books about mass or the Bible, but parents need to engage their kids at mass–tell them what’s going on. “We’re going to listen to the reading in the Bible. See the book?” “There’s Jesus’s body. Look.” or “There’s Jesus’s blood.” Kids need to be primed to learn and pay attention appropriate to their age. Show some love for those of us who want to give our children a snack or sippy cup during mass!

]]> By: Marcy K. http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/02/09/cranky-scowlmouths-and-kids-in-mass-whats-the-answer/comment-page-1/#comment-8221 Marcy K. Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:45:44 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=8315#comment-8221 I agree with what everyone said and I hate to see kids with food. I must admit though that a well timed Tootsie Roll Lolly Pop goes a long way to keeping a kid quiet. I outlaw them by 3-4 years old but they have saved my sanity in church. The same can be said for "Cry Rooms" even though they can be a purgatory. What really annoys me is seeing adults or older kids/teens come into church and immediately walk into the cry room and sit there instead of in a half empty church. I just want to say, "What are you doing in here? Leave please. The reason we are in here is to not disturb adults, we don't need more adults in here!" I agree with what everyone said and I hate to see kids with food. I must admit though that a well timed Tootsie Roll Lolly Pop goes a long way to keeping a kid quiet. I outlaw them by 3-4 years old but they have saved my sanity in church. The same can be said for “Cry Rooms” even though they can be a purgatory. What really annoys me is seeing adults or older kids/teens come into church and immediately walk into the cry room and sit there instead of in a half empty church. I just want to say, “What are you doing in here? Leave please. The reason we are in here is to not disturb adults, we don’t need more adults in here!”

]]> By: Barb Szyszkiewicz, sfo http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/02/09/cranky-scowlmouths-and-kids-in-mass-whats-the-answer/comment-page-1/#comment-8164 Barb Szyszkiewicz, sfo Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:29:27 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=8315#comment-8164 A couple of pastors back, we had a pastor who used to announce: "Children, if your parent gets a little loud or cranky, feel free to bring them to the reconciliation room until they are quiet and happy again." A little humor went a long way there, and people did take advantage of that room to quiet down a loud child. This church has no cry room and the vestibule doesn't have speakers. I too don't like seeing food, drinks or toys in church. We would let our children bring "Bible books" when they were small (board books on Bible stories, or children's Bibles, or books with prayers). But the other night at my daughter's confirmation, there was a child a few pews away who had a plastic box of colored pencils. That made a good bit of noise every time he rummaged for a different color. And food? Really, there is no need. Feed the child a snack in the car on the way to church. Make sure he drinks and uses the toilet before you sit down. Other than an infant, no one needs to be fed in church. A couple of pastors back, we had a pastor who used to announce: “Children, if your parent gets a little loud or cranky, feel free to bring them to the reconciliation room until they are quiet and happy again.” A little humor went a long way there, and people did take advantage of that room to quiet down a loud child. This church has no cry room and the vestibule doesn’t have speakers.

I too don’t like seeing food, drinks or toys in church. We would let our children bring “Bible books” when they were small (board books on Bible stories, or children’s Bibles, or books with prayers). But the other night at my daughter’s confirmation, there was a child a few pews away who had a plastic box of colored pencils. That made a good bit of noise every time he rummaged for a different color. And food? Really, there is no need. Feed the child a snack in the car on the way to church. Make sure he drinks and uses the toilet before you sit down. Other than an infant, no one needs to be fed in church.

]]> By: Colleen McNatt http://new.catholicmom.com/2010/02/09/cranky-scowlmouths-and-kids-in-mass-whats-the-answer/comment-page-1/#comment-8163 Colleen McNatt Wed, 10 Feb 2010 16:38:14 +0000 http://new.catholicmom.com/?p=8315#comment-8163 Great perspective! I think I spent a decade in the crying room. So much so that my four kids still prefer to go there first. My biggest pet peeve is parents who bring their little ones to Mass with Cheerios, Goldfish, sippy cups, etc. When your kid throws the sippy cup full of apple juice and it sprays all over a fellow parishioner, would you hand them a baby wipe and smile...or run to the quickest exit? Great perspective! I think I spent a decade in the crying room. So much so that my four kids still prefer to go there first. My biggest pet peeve is parents who bring their little ones to Mass with Cheerios, Goldfish, sippy cups, etc. When your kid throws the sippy cup full of apple juice and it sprays all over a fellow parishioner, would you hand them a baby wipe and smile…or run to the quickest exit?

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