Question for Catholic parents

[Anonymous]

We're going to a Catholic wedding, and the bride said kids are more than welcome—at least one other family is bringing theirs. But I'm nervous about our three kids (ages 1, 3 and 6) sitting through a full Mass since our church (Protestant) has Sunday School / children's church and nursery. Catholic parents: how do you keep your kids quiet and still for an hour (...or longer) ? Apparently in Catholic churches all ages attend the full Mass? Our kids are relatively well-behaved but this sounds so stressful. What is your secret? Should we just get a sitter for the wedding?

[Anonymous]

My church has a “baby crying room” so I take active toddlers there.

They can read and color in the pew with me and if they get fidgety take them outside or to the baby crying room.

But a babysitter will let u enjoy it.

[Anonymous]

As a Catholic, my kids grew up attending mass so they learned to do this from infancy. I don’t think you can show up for the first time and expect perfection.

Typically I see families with kids who can not sit still taking them to the back of the church or outside to let them run around. If you want to enjoy the wedding, get a babysitter.

[Anonymous]

When my kids were little I had a bag of distractions that only was used at mass. It had religious picture books, nativity set little people figures, and wikki stixs. But the truth is that the main thing I would do is give my kids back rubs for most of the mass.

[Anonymous]

Hire a nanny to keep them entertained.

[Anonymous]

are you sure they are having a mass? some catholic weddings don't include the mass and are shorter.

but yes, kids are welcome and if they were invited (names on the invitation), I think you are okay. coloring books, sticker books and other quiet activities help. you can also sit near the back and make an exit if you have to.

[Anonymous]

If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

A priest/deacon/Eucharist minister would certainly know that children ages 1, 3 and 6 had not yet made First Communion. No need to cross their arms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

A priest/deacon/Eucharist minister would certainly know that children ages 1, 3 and 6 had not yet made First Communion. No need to cross their arms.

I saw multiple 4-6 year olds receive all sacraments from baptism to confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass this past year. My wife was given her first communion at age 5 when she insisted she was ready and a priest examined her conscience and signed off on it. Atypical but we always had our children cross arms from the time they could walk until they actually received their First Communion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

A priest/deacon/Eucharist minister would certainly know that children ages 1, 3 and 6 had not yet made First Communion. No need to cross their arms.

I saw multiple 4-6 year olds receive all sacraments from baptism to confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass this past year. My wife was given her first communion at age 5 when she insisted she was ready and a priest examined her conscience and signed off on it. Atypical but we always had our children cross arms from the time they could walk until they actually received their First Communion.

Eastern Rite?

[Anonymous]

There really isn’t (or at least there shouldn’t be) any expectation that small children will remain quiet and still throughout the entire Mass. The liturgical “show” (for lack of a better word) with its music, vestments, shiny objects and ceremonies. should provide some attraction. If that isn’t enough, PP’s have made many helpful suggestions including taking a child to the lobby or even the front steps for a while. You should avoid the “communion procession;” nowadays there’s a strong chance that whoever is at the head of the line will be a layperson who can’t bless anyone or anything anyway.

[Anonymous]

The best part of any Catholic mass is when a toddler goes rogue. The parents are expected to take kids outside if the kids are really losing it though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're going to a Catholic wedding, and the bride said kids are more than welcome—at least one other family is bringing theirs. But I'm nervous about our three kids (ages 1, 3 and 6) sitting through a full Mass since our church (Protestant) has Sunday School / children's church and nursery. Catholic parents: how do you keep your kids quiet and still for an hour (...or longer) ? Apparently in Catholic churches all ages attend the full Mass? Our kids are relatively well-behaved but this sounds so stressful. What is your secret? Should we just get a sitter for the wedding?

Get a sitter and your problems are solved. If you're not Catholic, there's no reason to teach your kids how to sit through a Mass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

A priest/deacon/Eucharist minister would certainly know that children ages 1, 3 and 6 had not yet made First Communion. No need to cross their arms.

I saw multiple 4-6 year olds receive all sacraments from baptism to confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass this past year. My wife was given her first communion at age 5 when she insisted she was ready and a priest examined her conscience and signed off on it. Atypical but we always had our children cross arms from the time they could walk until they actually received their First Communion.

Eastern Rite?

Roman Catholic. I was mildly surprised as we were sponsoring two teens coming into the church and they were baptized and confirmed as expected but the two priests also baptized thru confirmed the younger kids. The RCC only teaches that an individual reach the age of reason before receiving confirmation, which is an undefined age. To be frank, we were sort of jealous as our kids will receive full sacrament prep through school for confirmation. I told the teens we sponsored their classmates would have to go through separate prep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If they are having a Mass and you are really worried about it, being quiet toys and sit in the back. Coloring books, etc. let them play in the pews. Very, very common sight at Mass.

We probably had 30 or so kids under 10 at our wedding years ago and it was no big deal. We had a full Mass for our wedding.

Cry room is also a good suggestion. If your kids become unsettled, stepping outside is no big deal.

If you go up to the communion line for a blessing tell your kids to place each hand on opposite shoulder to signal they are not Catholics.

"God Forbid" small children do not signal to clergy that they are not catholic!