children at Mass

[sarinabets]

I honestly have the same problem . I have a very hyperactive little one (5 years at this time) and I have been told every time I take her to the “big girl room” ( the main room) that I need to take her to the baby room (usually we’re the only ones back there and we can’t hear a thing) That’s the one thing I hate about the church I go to, as well as religious center of my last religion (we were in the basement but at least we could hear the sermon). She has asked when she can go into the big people room and learn with the big kids, and I had to tell her that it will happen when I don’t have to say shhhhh a half a dozen times during the service. we watch the mass on ewtn every afternoon, and it is helping a little, but at one time, how the people reacted to her being in the noisy room made me feel like a failure as a mother(“she should be able to make it in the main room by 5” I believe was the phraze). I’m thinking of joining the church, but all churches I go to are basically the same, so just to get it off my chest. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.
thank you

 

[caytee]

So sad! your Priest is most likely worried that the older parishioners will leave if it’s not comfortable for them. Here’s a thought…In our parish with over 50 children (mostly very young) @ Mass every sunday and with no nursery, some of us have offered to help families with children, we sit with or by them, become aquainted with the family, bring quiet things for the children to hold/play with, encourage them to participate in the liturgy and generally give them warm smiles and encouragement. Maybe your own family could model this behavior for the other parishioners and maybe some of your Christ like behavior “suffer the little children to come unto me and forbid them not” will rub off on them also. My prayers are with you.

 

[90Domer]

I am sure that this has been discussed many times here, but I would like to know how many with small children have been made to feel unwelcome at Mass with their little children, by older parishioners and even the pastor. Mine are mostly grown, but we have recently been finally getting some younger people in our retired community. I saw complaints coming because I know my parish family and I cautioned our new priest at pastoral council that we needed to solve a problem before it happened–that is we needed to be proactive about welcoming all the little ones. Lots of Hispanic families, several Anglo families and four pregnant ladies. Please understand this is a retirement community. God has truly blessed us with this new growth. Unfortunately my warning was not heeded.

And now something truly awful. Our pastor heeded the complaints of some older people and has written in the bulletin, please all families in the back. Be sure to leave if your kids are acting up. And don’t come to Mass if you can’t make them behave. He said some other nicer things, but these negative things are there. Who tells people not to come to Mass? I am deeply offended. How to deal with this?

Oh yes, this happened to me, but thankfully not in our home parish. I never went back there.