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Bringing Catholic kids to mass is NOT for the faint of heart. Have you ever had to force an energetic child to not only sit perfectly still, but be quiet, and listen to a man say a bunch of words that don’t make any sense to them?
And If you’re anything like us, your Sundays probably don’t look much different than ours.
You get up, scramble around for two hours, show up to Mass late, someone inevitably smacks their head with a THUNK on the pew in front of you. Children are fighting. You missed the entire homily. You’re embarrassed, flustered and sweaty. You’re creeping out of the pew as the last few notes of the last song plays. You race out, avoiding eye contact, praying you just make it to the van.
Shove everyone in. Buckle car seats. Pull out of the parking lot and…phew.
Another Sunday in the books. (Speaking of books, this one has helped my kids grasp Mass procedures really well. It was gifted to us and I’m amazed at how many “aha” moments they have during Mass.)
Rinse and repeat. Every. Single. Week. It can be rough.
So then why even bother going?
Let me tell you.
Our children need to feel Jesus. They need to form that relationship with Him by being in his real presence.
I feel Jesus when an old lady gives me a warm, understanding smile as she walks back to her seat from communion.
I feel Jesus when my children stare in awe at the crucifix as it’s processed out.
I feel Jesus when people come up to us after Mass and tell us how wonderful our family is.
I feel Jesus when I hear the little voices of our children singing along to the hymns.
I know far too many people who stay home, avoiding the chaos of taking children to Mass.
Don’t be like those people.
Your children need to know Jesus.
Jesus LOVES the little children. He created them. He knows that they will squirm and scream and be totally obnoxious.
Do not be afraid to take your kids to Catholic Mass!
Side note: They need to learn how to behave in Mass too. And the only way they will learn is if you CONTINUE to bring them. Sunday after dreaded Sunday. (Kidding! Sort of).
(Of course, some people have extenuating circumstances and truly CANNOT get to Mass. But for most of us, we’re very capable, just unmotivated.)
You can do this.
For further convincing, read this wonderful article about why children belong in Mass.
I know taking children to Mass can get rough. I am right there with you.
I cried big mama tears in the cry room a couple weeks ago (Ha! Go figure.) because my husband was working out of state, I had all the kids by myself, and it was a hot mess of a morning.
Someone needed a bottle and someone was throwing a squealing temper tantrum and then someone smacked their head on the floor all at the same time, within five minutes of us getting there (late, mind you.)
And we do NOT go into the cry room. Ever.
Talk about defeat.
I see you. I am with you. I believe in you.
It is so, so worth it. I have never once regretted it.
Children are going through their most formative years. We need to do everything we can to help them to learn about, and get to know, Jesus.
Get my “6 Tips to Help You Bring Your Kids to Mass” guide.
If you need more encouragement, or just some words of advice, PLEASE download my “6 Tips to Help Bring Your Kids to Mass” guide.
It’s a quick read, maybe 10 minutes, and it’s totally free. It’s filled with our top 6 tips for taking your kids to Mass.
You can get it by subscribing to my email list below, no strings attached. (Except maybe some awesome, subscriber-exclusive content here and there.)
I hope this article, and these tips, help you and encourage you. Please reach out to me if you need a shoulder to lean on or an ear to listen. I’m always here.
