Does your Parish offer Sunday School or Kids Church?

[kcbk]

How many of you attend a church parish that offers Sunday School or some type of activity for the kiddos?
My wife & I attended a Lutheran Church with some friends while visiting them out of state & thought the attention that they pay to educating their children before & during their church services was great.
They had a day care for the really young kids so the parents could still receive the word without as many distractions.
After that experience, we started looking around at other RC parishes in our area & found one that offers a Kids Mass for children under communion age. We’re gonna give it a try & see how our kids like it.
We’re hoping to find some more fellowship with young parents in the whole process.

 

[maltmom]

My church has Sunday school for all ages. The 10:30 Mass on Sunday mornings has children’s church.

 

[IrishRush]

Yes, mine does - in fact I teach religious ed. to 7th graders. Our program covers K through 8th grade, and we have programs for the high school kids to involve them in the church activities and ministries.
We don’t, however, have a separate mass for children. I agree with our church’s thinking that families should attend together. I know that I never attended church as a child without my family, nor would I have wanted to. In fact, I wonder how well behaved I would have been if I didn’t have my parents in the pew with me, keeping an eye on me. I was a little, how should I say… rambunctious as a kid.

 

[maltmom]

I should have added that they leave before the readings and return for the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

 

[Corki]

We have Sunday school. It’s not during Mass but between two Masses. We used to have kind of a nursery school version for the little ones but we ran out of space. (that’s a good problem to have)

 

[Cariethra]

Mine does offer Sunday School.

The last parish I was at also had a Teen Mass. They homely was directed more to teens, as was the music. The priest would also use the time to explain the different parts of the Mass. He would answer a lot of the why’s, from genuflecting, adoration, the importance of each step of Communion. I don’t know if they still do things that way, it has been about 6 years since I’ve been there.

 

[kcbk]

We don’t, however, have a separate mass for children. I agree with our church’s thinking that families should attend together.

I do agree with that statement. What the missus are really looking for is a Parish that offers Sunday School and hopefully a chance for fellowship with other parents over a cup of coffee. (Fingers crossed)
Our current parish is rather stuffy and fellowship is non-existent. I go there to worship God through Our Savior, Jesus Christ but, I don’t think I should have to do it in solitude where folks don’t seem friendly.

 

[Immacolata]

My parish does offer CCD classes; there is also an elementary school that is run by the church (in fact, my mother used to attend the old - a new one was built - elementary school for a period of time in the '60s)

There is not a Mass, that I know of, offered specifically for children on Sunday (and Holy Days); there is, however, a Children’s Mass held on Christmas Eve.

 

[LSK]

We do a Children’s Liturgy of the Word during Mass. The children come together, are taken out (much like the Catechumenates and the Candidates) and study the Readings in an age appropriate manner.

 

[Joe_5859]

My parish’s catechetical instruction is during the week, not on Sunday. That works out for me because that is my preference. I want my kids with me at Mass on Sunday. I can teach them the faith at home, but I cannot celebrate a valid Mass for them.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

How many of you attend a church parish that offers Sunday School or some type of activity for the kiddos?
My wife & I attended a Lutheran Church with some friends while visiting them out of state & thought the attention that they pay to educating their children before & during their church services was great.
They had a day care for the really young kids so the parents could still receive the word without as many distractions.
After that experience, we started looking around at other RC parishes in our area & found one that offers a Kids Mass for children under communion age. We’re gonna give it a try & see how our kids like it.
We’re hoping to find some more fellowship with young parents in the whole process.

Hmmm. Here is a perspective from a 56 year old woman who had her children go to ‘youth services/Sunday school activity’ at the CATHOLIC CHURCH when her children were ages 2-7 (once they received first Eucharist, they ‘stayed upstairs through Mass’ the whole time). . .

IF I knew then what I knew now, I would NOT have gone for it.

I will tell you why. SURE it seems great to have the parents (and others) not have the distractions of keeping the kids quiet etc.

BUT> > > the kids go from ages 2-7 and they color, and paste, and sing songs. . .and then Mass seems BORING to them.

Whereas if they are accustomed to ‘go and stay with the family from the first’ they become accustomed to the rhythm of Mass. They don’t feel like “Wow, first I did FUN stuff and now I can’t. I hate this ‘church’ thing”.

Keep your children with you. And try not to use the 'let’s make boring things FUN" routine of bringing a zillion toys, crackers, etc.

GUESS WHAT KIDS _ LIFE HAS LOTS OF BORING ACTIVITIES IN STORE FOR YOU.

You need to learn to find beauty in the mundane, the routine, the ‘normal’, and not try to overstimulate to ‘compensate’ your children.

Have you ever seen a small child gaze in FASCINATION at a pile of dirt with a worm crawling in it? Stare in wonder at a flower? Children do not NEED to have the worm do a ‘song and dance routine’ or have the flower become a rock star.

They don’t NEED to have the Mass ‘experience’ be made ‘kid friendly.’ The Mass IS kid friendly. The CONGREGATION needs to become more ‘kid friendly’ so that they don’t feel children are DISTRACTIONS to be given ‘bread and circuses’ to.

Wish I’d learned the hard truth 20 years ago. . .

 

[kcbk]

Hmmm. Here is a perspective from a 56 year old woman who had her children go to ‘youth services/Sunday school activity’ at the CATHOLIC CHURCH when her children were ages 2-7 (once they received first Eucharist, they ‘stayed upstairs through Mass’ the whole time). . .

IF I knew then what I knew now, I would NOT have gone for it.

I will tell you why. SURE it seems great to have the parents (and others) not have the distractions of keeping the kids quiet etc.

BUT> > > the kids go from ages 2-7 and they color, and paste, and sing songs. . .and then Mass seems BORING to them.

Whereas if they are accustomed to ‘go and stay with the family from the first’ they become accustomed to the rhythm of Mass. They don’t feel like “Wow, first I did FUN stuff and now I can’t. I hate this ‘church’ thing”.

Keep your children with you. And try not to use the 'let’s make boring things FUN" routine of bringing a zillion toys, crackers, etc.

GUESS WHAT KIDS _ LIFE HAS LOTS OF BORING ACTIVITIES IN STORE FOR YOU.

You need to learn to find beauty in the mundane, the routine, the ‘normal’, and not try to overstimulate to ‘compensate’ your children.

Have you ever seen a small child gaze in FASCINATION at a pile of dirt with a worm crawling in it? Stare in wonder at a flower? Children do not NEED to have the worm do a ‘song and dance routine’ or have the flower become a rock star.

They don’t NEED to have the Mass ‘experience’ be made ‘kid friendly.’ The Mass IS kid friendly. The CONGREGATION needs to become more ‘kid friendly’ so that they don’t feel children are DISTRACTIONS to be given ‘bread and circuses’ to.

Wish I’d learned the hard truth 20 years ago. . .

I mean this with the utmost respect…
But, I would hate to be your child.
I will not stick my children before a “pile of dirt” and expect them to like it.
I encourage the growth of my children’s intellect by them asking questions and seeking more information.
If my children feel like they don’t understand what my Priest is speaking on, me bringing them to Mass is in vain.
Respectfully, I feel that your “SUCK IT UP” attitude is why the RCC loses so many members.
As for me & mine, we shall worship the Lord in a way that is mutually benefitial to all involved.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins. No need I make my children “suffer” through a homily they don’t understand.
This is what we have to change in the RCC.

 

[Tantum_ergo]

I mean this with the utmost respect…
But, I would hate to be your child. Well, it’s a good thing you aren’t. You completely MISUNDERSTOOD MY ENTIRE POST. I will not stick my children before a “pile of dirt” and expect them to like it. I never SAID that I would DO such a thing? Where did you get that idea??? I said that children are FASCINATED BY SMALL NATURAL THINGS. Honestly!
I encourage the growth of my children’s intellect by them asking questions and seeking more information. So did I. WHERE did you get the idea I didn’t??
If my children feel like they don’t understand what my Priest is speaking on, me bringing them to Mass is in vain.I NEVER said anything about not helping them to understand!!
Respectfully, I feel that your “SUCK IT UP” attitude is why the RCC loses so many members. My attitude is not to make a child SUFFER but rather, not to FALSIFY or keep them from real learning.
As for me & mine, we shall worship the Lord in a way that is mutually benefitial to all involved.And you presume that I somehow failed MY Kids? Wow. . .
Jesus died on the cross for our sins. No need I make my children “suffer” through a homily they don’t understand. I said NOTHING about NOT HELPING THEM TO UNDERSTAND. EVER.
This is what we have to change in the RCC.

I dinna think sae, laddie, because I’m not advocating what you THINK I’m advocating.

 

[kcbk]

I dinna think sae, laddie, because I’m not advocating what you THINK I’m advocating.

Explain. What does that mean?

 

[Corki]

I mean this with the utmost respect…
But, I would hate to be your child.
I will not stick my children before a “pile of dirt” and expect them to like it.
I encourage the growth of my children’s intellect by them asking questions and seeking more information.
If my children feel like they don’t understand what my Priest is speaking on, me bringing them to Mass is in vain.
Respectfully, I feel that your “SUCK IT UP” attitude is why the RCC loses so many members.
As for me & mine, we shall worship the Lord in a way that is mutually benefitial to all involved.
Jesus died on the cross for our sins. No need I make my children “suffer” through a homily they don’t understand.
This is what we have to change in the RCC.

Throwing out the word “respect” a few times does not make this post any less rude.

If my children feel like they don’t understand what my Priest is speaking on, me bringing them to Mass is in vain.

You might have a point IF the Mass was all about the homily. But it’s not and the rest of the Mass, the introductory rites, the readings, the singing, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, etc. are all quite accessible to even very young children.

 

[kcbk]

Throwing out the word “respect” a few times does not make this post any less rude.

You might have a point IF the Mass was all about the homily. But it’s not and the rest of the Mass, the introductory rites, the readings, the singing, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, etc. are all quite accessible to even very young children.

Never was I trying to be rude. But when you are juggling 3 children under 6, every bit of excitement counts.
But again, this is why we are chasing our brothers & sisters away from the RCC. Arrogance like your comments. I know why we come to Mass as adults, but I am coming to Mass as a daddy of 3 babies.
Don’t patronize me about being rude. I never asked anyone to critique my wife & I’s expectations. I simply asked who had Sunday School.
God will forgive me if I mis-stated anything. I hope he does the same for you all who took me the wrong way.