OK. So, I lied just a little bit. After closer inspection, it has been determined that there is no way that video could have been Derrell. He is a much better dancer! Oh, and he's about ten years younger, and MUCH better looking.
Yesterday, after an especially loud and raucous church experience, I decided we will practice being reverent Monday through Saturday. I'll ease them into it. Tonight we will sit quietly and listen to the lesson in Family Home Evening. Tomorrow we will sit quietly and watch a rather boring video on the Holy Land (I purchased it shortly after returning home from the study-abroad over there 14 years ago because it has to be good, right? I can't get rid of it even though it puts me to sleep, and I recognize the sites!). Wednesday we will sit quietly and listen to part of a talk from conference. You get the idea. Do you think it will work? If not, do you have any better ideas? More than half of the congregation at our church is children. My family isn't the only irreverent family. It makes it difficult.
8 comments:
After one very frustrating Sunday, Adria asked another mother in the Stake (who, by the way, has seven kids), how she is able to keep her kids quiet in Church. They are remarkably well-behaved.
I guess I sort of expected the supermom to say something lofty about instilling a sense of reverence from a young age, blah blah blah. Instead, she said, "You know what I have sitting on my kitchen counter right now? I have 7 candy bars. They're just sitting there. And the kids know it. If a kid acts up in during church, they don't get their candy bar. And worse, they have to sit there and watch me while I eat it."
Not a bad idea!
I am going to have to remember the candy bar trick! Very nice!
Honestly, I bet every mother feels exactly the same about church. I have to tell you a little secret, we are so excited to have kids (of course), but I know Partrick has alternative motives when it comes to Sundays and children... two words for you... foyer and cheerios. He simply can't wait!
By the way, thank you for your comments on my blog... you are so sweet!
Patrick and I want to plan a Spring trip back east... we'd love to see you guys!
Erin, it would be great to see you on your trip back east! Spring will technically be over in a few weeks... So is this a spur-of-the-moment thing, or a planned-well-in-advance thing? :-)
Julie, I have to smile at your idea. When we first moved to IF, (so Ali was around 9) I remember taking the kids to church one Sunday that Rich had to work. They were awful!! They were laughing during the Sacrament. I was so embarrassed and so mad that as soon as the Sacrament ended I made everyone leave the chaple and go get in the car. We drove home and I got e metal folding chairs out of the garage, set them up in the living room and made each of the kids sit on one while I lectured and yelled about reverence in church and being respectful of others around us. All the while I was smacking a wooden spoon on my hand. I told them they would have to sit there until church was over. By the end of the first hour they were nearly begging to go to primary, promising that they would never again misbehave in church. I relented, but promised that if there ever was a next time they would sit for 3 hours practicing being reverent. When TJ turned 12 we had some problems in his deacons quorem and he had to practice at home one day after church. that cured him. Three weeks ago Cole had to practice also and that seems to have worked so far. They sit for around 15 to 30 minutes, my older kids an hour. We did the candybar thing also, except we started with 4 mini candies and they lost them one at a time, by me holding up fingers, but that ended up with too much arguing. They loved that idea though and it did work for a while. Good luck! I know how trying keeping kids reverent can be!
Hi Julie,
Ha, sorry, that was a bit ambiguous wasn’t it?? Smile
We are thinking we would travel during my Spring break next year. It would probably be the middle of April.
Patrick says it's gorgeous that time of year. So cool!!
PS... (I promise this is my last comment for today:)
I LOVE the new look to you blog!
It is so dang cute!!
Julie, Just tell yourself that it is in the jeans (not yours, but Derrell's. if it was our jeans they'd be angels, right?) When we blessed our baby we decided that 80% of the noise in sacrament was our family and Danny's. We had to laugh a little sheepishly.
I have tried the pracitce thing. We would watch the sacrament broadcast in BYU TV. It didn't seem to help, and only made me relive church every day of the week. Maybe I didn't stick with it long enough.
I think I might try the candy bar thing. I also have thought of making them their own little church bag complete with their own notebook, coloring book, and their own crayons and maybe toys for the little ones. There is a family in our new ward with six boys and they sit like angels and just draw or actually listen. I have no excuses now.
Let us know what you do.
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