....some days are good, but today, well...twas a little challenging! Please tell me that it will get better as they get older!

Ha! I was thinking about posting the exact same thing today.

Some days I just wonder, "why even bother with church?"

Thankfully, the preschool toddler sunday school program starts next week.

nods - dh, teen and I take turns in the toddler room since roman FREAKS if we try to leave him with staff. So once a month I go into the toddler room, once a month I sit with chels while Tom plays in the toddler room , once a month chels keekps him and dh/I get to hear a message together and about once a month he falls asleelp on me thru a service and we all get to sit togehter.

tis a challenge lol

This spring we finally found a church we love and have been going regularly for the first time in a long time. Liam is doing great and I am so proud of him. It helps that his best friend here goes to the same service and he can follow her slightly older example!

The great thing about how fast these kids grow is that most phases do pass eventually. Even the ones we want to hold onto forever.

We used to go to a Roman Catholic church and it was miserable! I loved the mass but Elizabeth, like most two year olds, did not want to sit quietly or do anything but talk loud and run around. So then we ended up stopping CHurch completely. It was more hassle than it was worth. I never heard the sermons anyhow seeing as I was catering to my two year old. Recently we have been attending another church in town. They give the kids ribbons to run and dance with during the opening music and then they can go to the nursery to play during the mass. The church is a born-again church and I'm not totally into all their interpretations of the bible but its better than no church service at all. It is enjoyable and it works for us now. Benjamin will be baptized Catholic and once the kids are a bit older we will return to mass at our church but for now we go to the other.

Well Sunday School (preschool-2nd grade meets during second service) just started this past week and it was the first time that we were able to manage in the service without too much craziness. Veronica actually liked being at church for once! She didn't want to leave Sunday School! :rolleyes:

Wow, I should have looked at this forum on Sunday. Basically, Father John...side bar

We have a married Roman Catholic Preist at our Military post. Yes, everynow and then a minister will convert and after a few years and if granted special permission from the Vatican...he can become a Preist...

Basically, Fr. John gave us all a catholic edicate homily (sermon). He promised us that a child has to get really loud and screechy before it begins to bother him and he said, "I promise you it bothers you (the parent) more than it bothers anyone else." He wanted to encourage us to bring our kids to Mass (church)...then added, (parents) you just have to suffer through it, and even if you hear nothing, it's still worth it.

Now, I've been struggling to go every week even though dh is deployed. My son is a challenge, and physically demanding of instruction and correction. I've got to be ready at a momments notice to pack up and drag him out for a time out, and now that my daughter is older she can be challenging too. Sometimes I miss a lot of what's gone on, but there have been signs from both kids that they are getting something out of it even though it doesn't seem like they are ever paying attention. They are learning the service in stages. Right now, it's familiarity. Charlotte will sometimes stand and sing along, and I've heard Peter singing some of the responsorials. They are also very ameniable to prayer at bed and meal time.

So keep going, it's doing something. Just now you're doing the best for your kids and putting in the hard work it takes to raise them right.

Take Care,

Thanks everyone...

I went to mass pretty regularly even when DH was deployed as well. Then again, half the post was deployed, LOL, so Mass with filled with mamas and babies/tots. (I say mamas more than daddies with babies because we were at FT Drum...infantry land lol) I packed up the 2 boys when they got too rowdy...now that Greg is around it's a great convenience that he can take the boys out and I can stay in to catch the rest of mass.

I think the persistence will help too, I agree. This last Sunday we made it through to the whole hour with no real mishap lol...Thank goodness ;)

That is great, Tif!

Susannah, that is awesome that the kids are learning the service. Keeping it up really is key and I love that your priest said what he did to encourage parents to continue to bring children. :heart: