Since the birth of my daughter three years ago I have been hit with the question “to bring or not to bring?” I have two children, and they are typically kids. They get restless during mass and need stimulation. I try to bring gear to entertain them in the pew quietly so that we can attend mass as a family. I get a very mixed response to this approach to parenting. Some people hold that kids should not be in mass at all. Recently I read an article by Kate Wicker Inside Catholic about the subject. She talked about the good of bringing kids to church regularly and not worrying about the baby sounds. She quoted Pope Benedict XVI:
Pope Benedict XVI urges parents to make Sunday Mass a family affair. "Parents are called to make their children discover the value and importance of the response to Christ's invitation, who calls the whole Christian family to Sunday Mass," the pope said to a crowd in St. Peter's Square on June 13, 2005.
I believe that taking your children to mass, restaurants, plays, etc. is good for the children. My daughter get restless, but we take time to entertain her and each week she is able to sit a little longer before becoming too distracted. I hope that this trend will continue until she is able to sit attentively through the entire mass. I have seen the benefits of starting her in mass young, and I understand that if she doesn’t learn to sit now I will be teaching her at a latter age and she will be more set in her ways.
Pope Benedict XVI urges parents to make Sunday Mass a family affair. "Parents are called to make their children discover the value and importance of the response to Christ's invitation, who calls the whole Christian family to Sunday Mass," the pope said to a crowd in St. Peter's Square on June 13, 2005.
I believe that taking your children to mass, restaurants, plays, etc. is good for the children. My daughter get restless, but we take time to entertain her and each week she is able to sit a little longer before becoming too distracted. I hope that this trend will continue until she is able to sit attentively through the entire mass. I have seen the benefits of starting her in mass young, and I understand that if she doesn’t learn to sit now I will be teaching her at a latter age and she will be more set in her ways.
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I think children in Mass are a wonderful thing. Most children at the Mass I attend (8 am) are very quiet and many pay attention. One thing I don't necessarily care for that happens during one of the Masses at my parish is the Children's Liturgy of the Word. Before the readings, the smaller (K-2nd graders, I think) are taken out of Mass and given a lesson and then they return right before communion. Personally, I would rather my children (when I have them!) sit through Mass with me. Plus, it is somewhat distracting when the kids return during Mass right before communion. Just my 2 cents!
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