Christmas even and other services

[maestramommy]

Am I the only one that doesn't normally take their kids to services? Our church has a nursery for under 3 and that's where our kids go. There is no childcare for special services. Yesterday afternoon I had to play at our carol sing, and Dh was at work, so I took both kids with me. Luckily there were some girls there who were only too happy to sit with Dora and keep her entertained. I wore Arwyn for the performance parts, then she sat with the other girls and ate rice crackers with Dora (bag over head here). But I was surprised that the sanctuary was packed with families with toddlers and other little kids.

On Sundays, most little kids start out in the service with their parents, then after the children's sermon, if they're young enough they go to nursery or 3-kindy Sunday school. My kids are in the nursery before service even starts. I just think they would be restless, but maybe I should be training them now? They're not that rambunctious, and next fall Dora will be going to Sunday school instead of nursery, so maybe I should be prepping her now?

I should probably mention that at this church all kids grades 1 and up stay for the WHOLE service:eek: They go to Sunday school before service like the adults and youth, and they have folders to work on during the service. It's just a very new concept to me, although I remember I sat in the service with my dad from about age 7 on. At my previous church all kids including youth (jr high and up) go to Sunday school after the children's sermon.

Just wondering what other folks do. I'm a former teacher, but I don't have a lot of experience with very little ones, and this just presupposes a much longer attention span than I would expect.

[AngelaS]

We have no nursery for kids over 2 tonight which means I get to sit w/all three of mine during the service since dh is singing on stage tonight. I don't mind taking the big two to church at all, but this little one is a wigglebutt and she and my middle one like to make trouble....

Tonight could be memorable.

[bubbaray]

We have no nursery tonight either. We're going to the 4pm service, so hopefully its more family oriented.

[caleymama]

At our church (Episcopal) we go to the family service on Sunday mornings. Sunday School is after coffee hour, which is right after the service, so the kids are all in church during the service. The family service is fantastic - very child oriented with a gospel "play" instead of just a reading of the gospel. Then, instead of a straight sermon, the kids all go sit on the floor up at the altar and the sermon is delivered in an interactive, child-friendly way. There are plenty of people there who aren't with kids - it's just an all-around nice service. There's a big basket in the back with tote bags of quiet activities that kids can help themselves to during church if they like - crayons, coloring books, a small stuffed animal, etc. There are two other services on Sundays, a quieter 8am service, then the family service at 9:30, and then the 11am service that does have nursery care. Our Reverend has kids of her own that are in high school now, so she knows kids and really speaks to them well. My girls adore her. We're relative newcomers to this parish and it's the first time in my entire life that I'm not looking at my watch during church.

For Christmas Eve, there is a family service at 5 tonight, which is when the Christmas Pageant is. It should be quite crowded. The other service is at 10:30 and it's the carols and candlelight Eucharist service.

Growing up, the church I attended had an 8am service and a 10am service. Sunday School was at the beginning of the 10am service and then the kids joined their parents in church some time before communion. There was nursery care during this entire service. A the church we attended briefly before moving to where we are now (also the church the girls were baptized at), the reverend enjoyed having kids in church. He loved the giggles and wiggles and felt like the kids enriched the service. There was nursery care, but we kept the girls with us for the most part.

[Wife_and_mommy]

Our church has 4 services for today, two of which have children's programs. We're serving at and attending the 4 o'clock service. Before I regained my sanity, I had wanted to attend an earlier service with the kids. Don't know what I was thinking but I'm glad I reconsidered!

Can't imagine not having any childcare but our church spends a great portion of finances for a dynamic children's program. Kids don't want to go to "big" church there. :)

Merry Christmas!:cheerleader1:

[g-mama]

Our church (Catholic) doesn't have any nursery/Sunday school/anything for the children, so they come with us. There is no other choice. They're expected to sit through the Mass beginning at birth! I wish there was something else for them that took into account their attention span because it's so hard for me and dh to pay attention while we have three active boys who just don't sit still and start messing with one another, etc. etc.

[bubbaray]

Can't imagine not having any childcare but our church spends a great portion of finances for a dynamic children's program. Kids don't want to go to "big" church there. :)


This is our church too, except Christmas Eve service and Easter Sunday -- children stay for the whole service on those days.

[lilycat88]

We have 5 services...4:00, 5:00, 7:00, 9:00 and 11:00. The first 2 are specifically geared toward families with small children. The last 3 are traditional candlelight services. We'll take DD to the 4:00 one probably and then she and her father are lighting the Christ candle at the 9:00 service and I sing for the 7:00 and9:00. It's a crazy night. Nursery is available for any kids for the last services and is generally for up to 1st grade or so.

[MommyAllison]

Our church has childcare for up to age 3 for one service, and no childcare for the other service. Both are identical and candlelight. We take our kids to service with us on Christmas Eve - but the rest of the year they are in the nursery/Sunday School. Our regular church services are almost 2 hours long, but the Christmas Eve service is just under/around an hour.

[BeachBum]

Tonight, the service at 5 is kid/ family oriented. But there is still a nursery for those who choose to use it.

On regular Sundays there is nursery for those under 3 at the 10 am service, but not at the 7:30 or 11 am. I think that for the most part kids are pretty welcome during church, but they do try to provide care to make it easier on parents.

Kids over 3 are encouraged to attend children's chapel. They leave just before the homily and come back right after. I think it's great for kids K-3rd grade. But it is too advanced for my 3 yr old. He doesn't get much out of children's chapel and I feel like it's still too long for him to sit during regular church. I wish there was something in between this and the nursery---something more like Sunday school.

We too have book bags with crayons, coloring sheets and bible story books that kids are welcome to use/borrow during the service.

We are Episcopalian.

[KpbS]

DS1 sat for the entire candlelight service!!! Well, he stood for the singing and conducted (his usual routine) ;) and some smarties got him through the sermon. I am amazed. He couldn't have done it even a month or two ago. We were visiting family out of town. Our local church avg. age is about 65 and there are usually 2-3 other children his age. I doubt they had childcare tonight.

[baileygirl]

DS (2) goes weekly with FIL and dh to church. He started going a year ago or so, and so far does fine. I will say ds generally behaves a lot better for dh, then me (the pushover).

[Melanie]

Our church has one, but I remember being in there (ONLY when my mom signed up to volunteer it) and there's just no way I'd subject my kids to that chaos. I realize some churches have actual workers and regulars who do it, and that's different, IMHO. Ours was volunteers, sometimes teens, sometimes mothers, who knows. I should see if it's different these days...though I probably still wouldn't use it. There are very few people on this planet that I trust my children in the care of.

[WatchingThemGrow]

We have a very organized nursery program with an amazing set-up. DH and I volunteer in it every other week, so we miss 1/2 of the Sunday School classes. We have 2 services, so we're still able to attend the worship service when we volunteer. There is care for the under 3 crowd, but the older ones stay for the beginning of the service and leave after the doxology to go to Children's Church, which is geared for the 3-8 yo crowd.

For Christmas Eve, the 2 and under crowd had childcare. Same goes for other "special" services.

We weren't actually home, and we were driving into BIL and SIL's town and meeting them at their church who provided care for everyone the little ones. Very unfortunately, DS had a mechanical malfunction and barfed all over himself about a mile from the church driveway. So much for making good time on our drive...