Why is it that kids are always relegated to junior church or sunday school during the morning service? For a few months now we have been discussing the possibility of moving closer to town and therefore, probably moving churches as well. Neither of these things is likely to happen tomorrow (and actually probably not for a few years) but most likely it will happen eventually.
In our current church there is Sunday school prior to the service and then clipboard activities that correspond to the sermon for kids ages 3 to 10. Nursery is provided from infant to age 3 if you choose to use that option (which I do from about 10ish months until 2 1/2 ish). I like the system. I know it is hard to have young children in the service, but I like that my kids are hearing the same sermon that I am. I like that I get to help them pay attention by working with them to get the correct answers to the questions on their sheets (well for my kid right now it's just coloring them, but someday we will get to answering those questions!). Sure I may not get as much from the sermon as I would if they had junior church/sunday school then, but I am learning with them and they are seeing me learn. That is important is it not? Some mornings are definately more challenging than others, especially since my child is only just 3 and still not quite at the level to fully understand the clipboards. But I still love that time I get to have with her in the service.
So I was looking at the other churches in our area, especially the ones we've talked about going to eventually, and all of them have the children leave during the service. And I couldn't help but think that I would miss having my kids beside me. Sunday school is a good thing. Kids need to learn on their own level and at their own comprehension. As hard as it is to get to church for Sunday school, I make that effort because I believe that those lessons are valuable to the kids. But I love having my kids beside me during the whole service and I would definately miss them sitting beside me.
I never really thought it was odd until I read
this blog about parenting in the pew. And then I got curious to see what other churches around our area did. I guess our church is just unique this way because it's been this way for a long time and I just naturally thought that most other churches did Sunday School at a seperate time as well. Only time will tell what we eventually decide to do, but this is one more thing that will make it a particularily difficult decision for me.
