This week's Woman to Woman topic is "Is it really a family night out?" What are your views regarding children under 5 attending formal events such as funerals, concerts and weddings? What about church services? What tips of tricks have you developed that make these events go well for you and your little ones?
Church is one the best places to attend as a family. Serving and fellowshipping together are perfect opportunities for togetherness and for training your children. My hubby and I attend a child-friendly church that doesn't mind a small amount of kid-noise during the service and I believe this is a perfect time to train your kids to be quiet and respectful for a period of time.
For parents of babies and toddlers, keeping them quiet can be tricky. On those days when church falls in the middle of naptime it is a blessing. Small quiet toys and books and lots of snuggling can be helpful, and if need be you can always quietly stand in the back of the church to help calm a wiggly baby. Practice makes perfect in this area.
Preschoolers can color, look through books or play with small toys, but the best place to start practicing being still and quiet is at home. While you are making dinner is a great time to teach your child to have some "quiet time" using some of the same toys and books you will be using during the church service. It is much easier to quiet a restless child at home, simply because you are not feeling nervous about bothering other people who are trying to listen to the pastor. Even one-year olds can understand a finger softly placed and the mouth with a quiet ssshhh-ing sound, and if you teach them this little trick at home, you can easily remind them to keep it down in church.
The time and effort to take to be with your children while they are young pays off as they grow older. The more parents are separate from them in the younger years, the harder it is to stay connected when they are in the all-important teenage years. A child's life is a training ground for the future, and doing things as a family as much as possible is a perfect way to build a solid foundation.