Why I Keep Taking My Children to Church
I've sometimes heard people say that if you don't get anything out of going to church, then you're doing something wrong. Well, as a mom, I'm here to tell you that sometimes it might seem like you're not get anything out of going to church even when you're doing everything right. During sacrament meeting, you walk the halls with a rambunctious toddler. During Sunday School, you help your three-year-old get used to primary or play with the children in nursery. During Relief Society, you walk the halls with the toddler or feed a baby in the mother's lounge or teach a Primary class that doesn't want to listen. Every mother has days like these. If you take the children to church by yourself, you'll have a lot of days like these.
Looking back to the days when all my children were young, I wonder why I didn't quit. Why didn't I just stay home and let the toddler take a nap? I remember my three-year-old standing up in the middle of Stake Conference to announce, "It's time for a coffee break." I don't know where he learned that trick from, but it
didn't work. Another time, my toddler raced up to the front of the church and cut his forehead on the conductor's stand. Blood was oozing all over by the time I retrieved him. Every week, it was another drama. I just kept plugging along, hoping that someday my children would learn to be reverent. That day was long in coming, but it did come.
Looking back, I'm so glad I kept going. Even though it didn't seem like it at the time, I did get something out of church--I had the companionship of the Holy Ghost during those important years of raising small children. My children also got into the habit of going to church. They met loving, forgiving Primary teachers, who genuinely loved them. They also felt the Holy Ghost testify of the gospel truths they learned.
A few weeks ago, my toddler ran to the front of the chapel and screamed, causing everyone to turn their heads and look at me. Most of the congregants were smiling. Yep, that's my toddler. I have seen a few toddlers who are reverent in church. I just never had one myself. So I'm going to keep bringing this two-year-old.
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| These are sooo not my kids! |
Looking back to the days when all my children were young, I wonder why I didn't quit. Why didn't I just stay home and let the toddler take a nap? I remember my three-year-old standing up in the middle of Stake Conference to announce, "It's time for a coffee break." I don't know where he learned that trick from, but it
didn't work. Another time, my toddler raced up to the front of the church and cut his forehead on the conductor's stand. Blood was oozing all over by the time I retrieved him. Every week, it was another drama. I just kept plugging along, hoping that someday my children would learn to be reverent. That day was long in coming, but it did come.
Looking back, I'm so glad I kept going. Even though it didn't seem like it at the time, I did get something out of church--I had the companionship of the Holy Ghost during those important years of raising small children. My children also got into the habit of going to church. They met loving, forgiving Primary teachers, who genuinely loved them. They also felt the Holy Ghost testify of the gospel truths they learned.
A few weeks ago, my toddler ran to the front of the chapel and screamed, causing everyone to turn their heads and look at me. Most of the congregants were smiling. Yep, that's my toddler. I have seen a few toddlers who are reverent in church. I just never had one myself. So I'm going to keep bringing this two-year-old.
I remember one time when my dad worked sundays and my mom played the Organ so all 5 of us sat in church in the 2nd row where mom could see us. One time my mother's mom asked her why she didnt just stay home with us while bib was at work, and my mom looked right at her and simply said, " If I dont show them where they need to be every sunday, Who will?" I have always respected my mom and dad for the examples they set for me growing up and hope I can set half that kind of example. As a mom now there are many sundays i wonder why I even bother when my toddler hates our new wards nursery and crys almost the entire first half of it then finally settles down. but I know he will never get used to it if we dont continue to take him and keep trying. Thanks for this post I think every mom should read it and know they arent alone.
ReplyDeleteMy husband worked on Sundays so I took our eight children to church by myself. It was difficult and I left Sacrament Meeting with a raging headache a lot of times. However, I kept taking them because I wanted them to know how important it was that we all be there.
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