Children at Mass
Little angels? In your dreams!
Our parish includes many young families. This is a blessing, but also a challenge! And among the challenges are the ‘noises’ that come from young children. These can be embarrassing for their parents, and irritating for others.
However if we all try to bear both those things in mind it makes it easier for all of us to deal with the situation.
Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of prayer and faith. Our parish wants to support and encourage them in their role. Parents helping their children to learn to pray at Mass, and take a full part, is a key part of this.
Children learn about prayer and reverence from their parents from the earliest age. Young children like to imitate their parents. So how you pray before and during Mass; how you join in the singing; how you follow the Mass and so on sets the pattern that your children will follow, particularly if you help and encourage them. Some children will learn more quickly than others, but always your example makes a difference.
Some practical suggestions that have come from other parents include, in a gentle and sustained way, encourage children, even the youngest children to:
There are a few suggestions, too, of things to avoid: such as
Finally - what ever the struggles - please know you and your children are welcome and valued! Honest!
However if we all try to bear both those things in mind it makes it easier for all of us to deal with the situation.
- Those without children will want to be tolerant to families with younger children.
- Those with care of the children will want to be considerate to others in the parish.
Parents are the first teachers of their children in the ways of prayer and faith. Our parish wants to support and encourage them in their role. Parents helping their children to learn to pray at Mass, and take a full part, is a key part of this.
Children learn about prayer and reverence from their parents from the earliest age. Young children like to imitate their parents. So how you pray before and during Mass; how you join in the singing; how you follow the Mass and so on sets the pattern that your children will follow, particularly if you help and encourage them. Some children will learn more quickly than others, but always your example makes a difference.
Some practical suggestions that have come from other parents include, in a gentle and sustained way, encourage children, even the youngest children to:
- make the Sign of the Cross.
- stand, sit and kneel with the rest of us.
- follow and join in the prayers and songs. Using a Missal and hymn book offers a great help in this.
- learn that they come to Mass to pray, not to play.
- if very young children bring a toy to church, please make sure it is a soft toy, which does not make a noise when played with or dropped.
There are a few suggestions, too, of things to avoid: such as
- giving children food and drink during Mass. It is a distraction for others, and sets a poor example for older children.
- leaving the children to 'entertain' themselves during Mass, because this is not helping them to get a sense of what Mass is about
- sitting at the back, where the children cannot see anything, and are not being helped to see what other people are a part of.
- bringing toys to Mass, unless the children are very young, in which case ensure they bring soft toys only which do not make a noise.
Finally - what ever the struggles - please know you and your children are welcome and valued! Honest!
