Children and my return to the church

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mrsmaria

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Hi there,

I’m pretty new around here and looking for some advice from those with more experience than I have 😉

I’m slowly returning back to the church after quite an absence, and, I am trying to take my children with me.

My eldest daughter is three and a half and youngest 5 months. I have been taking them to Mass with me, but I would like to know how you started to teach your kids a little about the faith? (Obviously my youngest is a bit young! )
I am struggling with the basics, like explaining why we are there, the idea of God, i’d like to maybe pray with them a little but not sure how to… any little suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

It’s slightly more complicated as my husband isn’t catholic and although I really want to have our children baptized, he doesn’t think it is necessary …

Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, advice, prayers. 😃
Maria.
 
There are some very cute board books that are simple but introduce the ideas. Stories about Christmas and Easter are good starts, or a children’s Bible for the very young. I love Maite Roche’s books - she has a lot for very young children.

We started with grace at meals, attending Mass, and then simple bedtime prayers - saying “Angel of God,” the Hail Mary, and the traditional “Now I lay me down to sleep…” From there we added on asking God to bless people we love (and sometimes fictional characters or toys, as well.)

We do a lot more now but neither DH nor I grew up in homes with family prayer, so it took us a while to get comfortable. Just start small. When you are ready, I would ask your pastor’s advice on how to proceed with discussing the baptism of your children with your husband.
 
pensmama87 said:
There are some very cute board books that are simple but introduce the ideas. Stories about Christmas and Easter are good starts, or a children’s Bible for the very young. I love Maite Roche’s books - she has a lot for very young children.

We started with grace at meals, attending Mass, and then simple bedtime prayers - saying “Angel of God,” the Hail Mary, and the traditional “Now I lay me down to sleep…” From there we added on asking God to bless people we love (and sometimes fictional characters or toys, as well.)

We do a lot more now but neither DH nor I grew up in homes with family prayer, so it took us a while to get comfortable. Just start small. When you are ready, I would ask your pastor’s advice on how to proceed with discussing the baptism of your children with your husband.
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Yes, THIS^^.
Most parishes start children in Formation at Pre-K. You can enroll her next year to supplement what you will teach her.
Welcome home!
 
mrsmaria said:
Hi there,

I’m pretty new around here and looking for some advice from those with more experience than I have 😉

I’m slowly returning back to the church after quite an absence, and, I am trying to take my children with me.

My eldest daughter is three and a half and youngest 5 months. I have been taking them to Mass with me, but I would like to know how you started to teach your kids a little about the faith? (Obviously my youngest is a bit young! )
I am struggling with the basics, like explaining why we are there, the idea of God, i’d like to maybe pray with them a little but not sure how to… any little suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

It’s slightly more complicated as my husband isn’t catholic and although I really want to have our children baptized, he doesn’t think it is necessary …

Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, advice, prayers. 😃
Maria.
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Welcome! 🙂

I don’t remember explaining too much when my children were that age. It was more about doing. Going to mass, saying grace, religious images in the home…

The ideas so far are very good. I am the type of mom that had religious books and movies available (my kids liked Veggie Tales) but didn’t talk about things much unless they asked a question. This changed as they got older.
 
My daughter is almost two and I’ve been teaching her to sing the Mass parts in order to help her participate better. She’s old enough now that she can say some of the prayers and she always likes to say “Hi, Mawy” to the statue of the Blessed Virgin.
 
mrsmaria said:
Hi there,

I’m pretty new around here and looking for some advice from those with more experience than I have 😉

I’m slowly returning back to the church after quite an absence, and, I am trying to take my children with me.

My eldest daughter is three and a half and youngest 5 months. I have been taking them to Mass with me, but I would like to know how you started to teach your kids a little about the faith? (Obviously my youngest is a bit young! )
I am struggling with the basics, like explaining why we are there, the idea of God, i’d like to maybe pray with them a little but not sure how to… any little suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

It’s slightly more complicated as my husband isn’t catholic and although I really want to have our children baptized, he doesn’t think it is necessary …

Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, advice, prayers. 😃
Maria.
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Would recommend a few things:
  1. Check with your parish pastor or religious education director and enroll your children in CCD. They will have experienced instructors who can teach the Catholic dogma and church doctrine in an age specific way.
  2. At the same time, I’d recommend you ask the RCIA team leader if you can sit in on their classes. RCIA = Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Usually we teach adults who are looking to join the Catholic church but we’ve found Catholics who have been away for a while could use a refresher. As an RCIA instructor, I’ve learned so much more and encourage anyone interested in learning or relearning our faith to attend the sessions.
While your husband may not feel it necessary to baptize your children, stick to your ground. It’s that important. I suggest you just explain to him, you and your children will pray for his soul when you go to Mass. He’s missing a big part of God’s plan when he doesn’t see that he’s shirking his husband and father duties. God planned on marriage being the means to pass His grace; when marriage is not faithful to God, the grace is impeded. Keep praying! God’s will be done!

👍
 
It’s very important that they be baptized.

As for faith formation. I start at birth.

My youngest is a month old and she is included in the night time ritual we go through every day.

My oldest knows several prayers and she is only 3.5 years old.

We do thanksgiving prayers at each meal time, bless Churches as we drive by, do the Angelus if we remember and have prayers at bedtime.

I also bring them to Mass…both Sunday and Daily when I can and let the girls soak up whatever they can.
My oldest and middle absolutely adore daily Mass and love Adoration.

There is so much you can do with kids Preschool age and younger. They seem to absorb and understand more then most age groups.
 
Do you pray before meals? Do you pray with them at bedtime? The ancient Catholic prayer before meals:
Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
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I used the meal prayer above and at bedtime Now I lay me down to sleep for starters. A Priest said to use Holy Water and make the sign of the cross on their forehead at night and on yourself, too. The sooner the Baptism, the better.
 
Woo thanks so much for all the useful replies and suggestions 😃 I appreciate you taking the time to respond.
.

Yes agree about baptism, I am praying every day that my husband will realize how important it is. I know i’m on a journey with this, but I’ll stick at it. 👍

We are in UK and live in a small town; the local parish is quite a close community and as a newbie to the town and the church it is a bit strange, but I think I am getting to the point where I may want to introduce myself to the local priest and maybe ask for his advice.

Thanks again.
M
 
Just a brief note:
when my two oldest were little I belonged to an evangelical church that didn’t believe in baptizing infants, they were just “dedicated.” My second son asked to be baptized when he was 14, but my oldest was never baptized.

I converted to Catholicism years later, when they were in their twenties, so that influence was never in their lives.
Now the fact that my oldest was never baptized is probably the greatest sorrow of my life. I pray for him especially (and all of my children) every day, because baptism gives graces that we need. He is a good person, but isn’t open to the love of God.

Please talk to your priest and your husband and emphasize how important this is to you. Because the time can slip away so quickly, and the chance will be gone.

.
 
mrsmaria said:
Hi there,

I’m pretty new around here and looking for some advice from those with more experience than I have 😉

I’m slowly returning back to the church after quite an absence, and, I am trying to take my children with me.

My eldest daughter is three and a half and youngest 5 months. I have been taking them to Mass with me, but I would like to know how you started to teach your kids a little about the faith? (Obviously my youngest is a bit young! )
I am struggling with the basics, like explaining why we are there, the idea of God, i’d like to maybe pray with them a little but not sure how to… any little suggestions/advice would be appreciated.

It’s slightly more complicated as my husband isn’t catholic and although I really want to have our children baptized, he doesn’t think it is necessary …

Thanks in advance for any help, suggestions, advice, prayers. 😃
Maria.
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At night when you put them to bed, say their prayers with them. Start with God Bless, Mommie and Daddy and each of them. Ask Blessed Mother to love them from Heaven and their guardian angel to watch over them. Add the Hail Mary first as it’s the shortest. I would give a little explanation of it as we go along. Same thing with the Our Father. I started doing that before my first one was even able to talk. They can understand long before they can talk. As the little ones came along, ( I have 7) they learned by listening as they grew. Always take them to Mass. Teach them how to make the sign of the Cross with Holy water. I kept Holy Water at home so we could practice. How to genuflect. I taught them to be quiet and respectful in Jesus’ House. The older ones would help with the little ones as they grew. We would say the Rosary together. I started out with one decade and would explain the mystery and they could ask questions, (it sort of became a catechism lesson). Catholic Publishing Company puts out a great series of little books for children on just about everything. Jesus, Mary, the saints, Mass etc. Beautiful pictures in them that kids love. Very inexpensive. Also I would bring God into every part of our day. When we went some where in the car we would say a little prayer for a safe trip. When we passed a cemetery we would pray for Holy Souls. When we passed a Catholic Church we would make the Sign of the Cross and say, “I love you Jesus.” I do those things even to this day no matter who is in my car and you would be surprised how many have started doing it too!!! So many ways to include our Faith in our life. I was married and widowed twice and both my husbands became converts. I am so grateful to God for that. I taught CCD for nearly 20 years and then taught Religion in a Catholic School for several years. When I was teaching First & Second grade one year, the teacher wasn’t Catholic. But she was the only teacher that stayed in the room while I taught. By the end of that year she was taking instructions into the Catholic Faith. I was preparing the second grade for their First Holy Communion, and she became very interested. God works in so many beautiful ways. I met my Dad again after not seeing him since I was very young, we got well acquainted, he had stopped drinking years before and he came back into the Church before he died. God Bless, Memaw
 
Memaw said:
At night when you put them to bed, say their prayers with them. Start with God Bless, Mommie and Daddy and each of them. Ask Blessed Mother to love them from Heaven and their guardian angel to watch over them. Add the Hail Mary first as it’s the shortest. I would give a little explanation of it as we go along. Same thing with the Our Father. I started doing that before my first one was even able to talk. They can understand long before they can talk. As the little ones came along, ( I have 7) they learned by listening as they grew. Always take them to Mass. Teach them how to make the sign of the Cross with Holy water. I kept Holy Water at home so we could practice. How to genuflect. I taught them to be quiet and respectful in Jesus’ House. The older ones would help with the little ones as they grew. We would say the Rosary together. I started out with one decade and would explain the mystery and they could ask questions, (it sort of became a catechism lesson). Catholic Publishing Company puts out a great series of little books for children on just about everything. Jesus, Mary, the saints, Mass etc. Beautiful pictures in them that kids love. Very inexpensive. Also I would bring God into every part of our day. When we went some where in the car we would say a little prayer for a safe trip. When we passed a cemetery we would pray for Holy Souls. When we passed a Catholic Church we would make the Sign of the Cross and say, “I love you Jesus.” I do those things even to this day no matter who is in my car and you would be surprised how many have started doing it too!!! So many ways to include our Faith in our life. I was married and widowed twice and both my husbands became converts. I am so grateful to God for that. I taught CCD for nearly 20 years and then taught Religion in a Catholic School for several years. When I was teaching First & Second grade one year, the teacher wasn’t Catholic. But she was the only teacher that stayed in the room while I taught. By the end of that year she was taking instructions into the Catholic Faith. I was preparing the second grade for their First Holy Communion, and she became very interested. God works in so many beautiful ways. I met my Dad again after not seeing him since I was very young, we got well acquainted, he had stopped drinking years before and he came back into the Church before he died. God Bless, Memaw
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True testimony of the power of God that can work through all of us if we just humble ourselves. Thank you for sharing! 👍
 
Great news…

Today my husband agreed to, and was very positive, about having our children baptized.

I am delighted, thank God. I am going to start making inquiries tomorrow.

Thank you. 👍
 
mrsmaria said:
Great news…

Today my husband agreed to, and was very positive, about having our children baptized.

I am delighted, thank God. I am going to start making inquiries tomorrow.

Thank you. 👍
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YES!!! God is great! 👍
 
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