Instead of half asking it every week just make it a tradition to go the first Sunday of every month and kind of make it a big deal and fun like you go get donuts afterwards or something.

Sunday mass is supposed to build community. If you’re building community elsewhere, the need for Sunday mass is not as high.

On the days, you don’t go create some cute little tradition Sunday night where you say a little prayer and light a candle or something.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg the responses here! Going to hell? Not Christlike behavior? Jeez, people. It’s a season of life with little kids. She’s trying! Suggestions about trying for two times/month, or minimizing stress with clothing options, or finding a different time/day to worship- those are helpful, kind suggestions. C’mon!

+1. Make it work for your family. Aim for every other week. Do what you need to do to make it workable while the kids are little. Heck, for a whole year and a half my toddlers and I barely made it to church because I brought them to the weekly kids choir practice at church. They sang kids religious songs every week and that was meaningful and enjoyable for them. When they didn't want to do choir anymore because they were in school and the evening practice didn't work for them/us, I enrolled them in Sunday school and we go as often as we can. We also do other events at church and we volunteer and
make an annual pledge. We will never win the attendance award but we every year we can do more as a family. We can't be the only ones!

Actually, doing it every week will make it easier. Set expectations and make routines.

Anonymous wrote:Another idea: can you put the kids in Sunday school, sit in the lobby, and stare at the wall for one service in lieu of going to a class yourself? I do this every other week. Attend service with the kids, put them in Sunday school, read a book/talk to a friend/stare at the wall. On alternate weeks, I volunteer in Sunday school so other parents can put their oxygen mask on first.

Another actually helpful suggestion!

Anonymous wrote:Omg the responses here! Going to hell? Not Christlike behavior? Jeez, people. It’s a season of life with little kids. She’s trying! Suggestions about trying for two times/month, or minimizing stress with clothing options, or finding a different time/day to worship- those are helpful, kind suggestions. C’mon!

+1. Make it work for your family. Aim for every other week. Do what you need to do to make it workable while the kids are little. Heck, for a whole year and a half my toddlers and I barely made it to church because I brought them to the weekly kids choir practice at church. They sang kids religious songs every week and that was meaningful and enjoyable for them. When they didn't want to do choir anymore because they were in school and the evening practice didn't work for them/us, I enrolled them in Sunday school and we go as often as we can. We also do other events at church and we volunteer and
make an annual pledge. We will never win the attendance award but we every year we can do more as a family. We can't be the only ones!

Our church has Saturday night.

Make room for what is important to your kids’ learning years.

Our NOVA church has Wednesday church - and for a nominal fee you can have a catered family-friendly dinner before hand.
I fully sympathize, OP with Sunday mornings. We put church clothes out on Saturday night. One of my kids wears the same suit over “normal” clothing every Sunday. and then literally as soon as we are in the car after church, takes the suit off. There are multiple families that are out of the vineyard vine catalogue, we are not one of them.

I went church shopping and while I loved one, it just was not kid-friendly. It was also at 9 am. We found one that is a little more kid-friendly, starts at 10 which allows for breakfast and a leisurely morning together with those who don’t feel like attending, and those who do attend, the church has a lunch potluck every Sunday after the service, so it’s more time together.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with someone above who said to plow through. These years will go fast and before you know it - you have no control over whether they go or not. I prioritized mass every Sunday even with travel sports. I can’t say if it mattered yet, but I tried. Make it a positive event and add donuts or bagels afterwards.

Back to bribery you clearly have not read through the other posts

If you have to force yourself and your family to do something, do you think you are losing the meaning of doing it?

Bingo

OP's kids will never be Catholic when they grow up

OP and her kids aren't Catholic now.

I made my kids do all sorts of things in childhood, because I wanted them to be routine. I made them come to the table and sit down for a meal, when it would have been easier to just hand them a plate to eat in front of the TV. I made them get out of the door and go to school on time, even when I really wanted to sleep in. I made them help with chores, even when it took far longer to walk the toddler through filling the dog's water dish than it would have taken me to fill it myself. I don't think they "lost the meaning" of doing it. They learned that these are things we value, that are worth the hard work.

Anonymous wrote:Head usher at an Episcopal church here.

It is only a very small percentage of the families at our church that attend every week. Do with that what you will.

Beware - head ushers know these things.

Head usher at an Episcopal church here.

It is only a very small percentage of the families at our church that attend every week. Do with that what you will.

Anonymous wrote:this thread is a great example of how exhausting it is to deal with people in the DMV. hopefully OP got some helpful ideas.

Please move somewhere where it makes sense for you to make sure your kids attend mass while you don't do the work of it yourself. This mom is the one who is ridiculous.

Anonymous wrote:this thread is a great example of how exhausting it is to deal with people in the DMV. hopefully OP got some helpful ideas.

It's exhausting to deal with people trying to follow religious rules anywhere.

this thread is a great example of how exhausting it is to deal with people in the DMV. hopefully OP got some helpful ideas.

Another idea: can you put the kids in Sunday school, sit in the lobby, and stare at the wall for one service in lieu of going to a class yourself? I do this every other week. Attend service with the kids, put them in Sunday school, read a book/talk to a friend/stare at the wall. On alternate weeks, I volunteer in Sunday school so other parents can put their oxygen mask on first.