We are sitting on our little bench in the back corner of the overflowing chapel. Things are hectic at the beginning of Sacrament Meeting because our ward is growing so much there inevitably aren't enough chairs set up. That's simply an invitation for the little ones to individually increase their volume so that together they has created a much louder room. Chase is restless. He wants to tell us all about what he did at Sunbeams today, crawl around at our feet, sit on dad's lap... no wait.. get off dad's lap, and complain about why he can't have his snack RIGHT NOW!! Daniel and I are failing as we work together to get him calmed down enough that we can explain to him that he needs to C A L M D O W N. I look down and Brody, who was sucking on a bottle near our feet is GONE! I start searching around our feet and a quick look under the bench behind and in front of us and he is no where, so I interrupt the struggle between Chase and Daniel to let him know that Brody is gone. We both start looking a little harder and I notice the couple behind us are laughing. Brody has crawled completely behind our bench and was almost past their bench before he grabs him and hands him back to us.
The battle has only begun.
I wonder, almost on a weekly basis, what we are doing. Why don't they let you have a break from Church. Just for a few years while you get past the "I can't stop moving for more than 2.7 seconds or I'll die" phase in little kids. I have to remind myself that they won't learn anything at home. They won't learn to sit still, or about Jesus and the Sacrament, or about how to be reverent. They won't see the familiar face of the Bishop smiling on the stand, even if they feel the need to yell "Look mom, it's the Bishop!! Up there!"
I have the mentally stop myself from getting overly flustered by not having perfectly quite children with arms folded in their laps. I have to stop myself from fretting about how angry the couple behind us are from the distractions.
After a particularly frustrating Sunday I couldn't even look behind me to see who was back there and how angry they were. I just started grabbing our stuff as fast as I could. The woman behind me was an older woman and she simply said, "You are doing the right thing by continuing to bring your kids." She didn't expound on that but it was enough for me. I remember that every week as I get ready for the battle to begin. I know not everyone feels that way. I remember reading a status on facebook from a "friend" that said something to the effect that noisy kids sitting in front of here was too distracting to pay attention and their parents shouldn't have brought them. I wasn't offended, I kinda laughed to myself and wondered why she naive enough to sit behind someone with kids, but mostly I laughed to myself because she doesn't have kids yet. She will one day understand. :)
Payson Temple
8 years ago
4 comments:
It's hard. But most people do understand that, and know that you are doing the right thing by bringing them. They learn so much, you have no idea till one day they say something, and you realize all those Sundays have been worth it.
I agree with you. The reason she's so irritated is because she doesn't have kids yet. If she had kids, she would understand.
Porter and Bridger are the same way, they have to keep moving and don't want to stay still. Most weeks I don't hear more than the opening prayer if I'm lucky. And poor Kyle has to take both of them by himself on the weeks I work. I don't know how he does it.
But keep doing it, it's more than worth the effort.
And those people who have kids that are now adults just sit back and laugh cause now it's you going through it and not them.
You know, I don't know what you're talking about, because you guys were angels!! JK :) I used to wonder why I got dressed up, dressed five kids and came to church every week just so I could STAND IN THE HALL. But you do it because it's the right thing to do. And they ARE learning. And if someone is bothered by noisy children, they can move somewhere else. We LOVE sitting by noisy kids. They are so entertaining and we're so glad it's them and not us :) Actually, we have people moving away from us because Dad bothers their kids and MAKES them irreverent during church. Some kids never grow up.
They are learning that it's so important to take the Sacrament that you take them even thought it's not easy. So many lessons in that! It's hard to remember that when you are the one with the kids that are bouncing off the wall, bench, floor, etc. If people are offended by noisy children, they don't have any yet, or don't remember what it was like to have them. Some weeks my kids are good. They usually save their melt downs for a week that Aaron works and I'm on my own! I can't wait to have 4 on those weeks! You are a good mom, Kimbrey!
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