Sunday Stress-Out
So ... we went to church this morning. Sort of.
Curtis and I aren't religious fanatics by any means, but we both grew up attending church regularly, and we both agree that we feel better when we do go. Plus we feel it's important to give our kids some sort of religious/spiritual foundation (not to mention a chance to play with other kids their age). But since we moved here a year and a half ago, his work schedule has been so crazy that we haven't had time to really find a church we like and attend it on a semi-regular basis. We've been to a few, and have had trouble finding one that seems "right." I can't really explain it, but at our last church (shoutout to the peeps of Central Christian in Las Vegas!) we felt comfortable from the start, like we belonged, like it lined up with our beliefs.
We thought we'd found something similar here. The church is a lot like the one in Vegas - obviously much smaller, but with the same sort of young, contemporary, laid-back vibe. I was relieved to think that maybe our "search for church" was over ... until we had a problem.
Not with the church. With the kids.
First of all, I told Curtis we needed to go to the 9 o'clock service rather than the 10:45 - after all, the kids' naptime is normally 11:30. But who was still in bed at almost nine this morning? (Hint: not me! In fact, I can't even remember the last time I was still in bed that late, but that's a whole different blog.) ... Yeah. So by the time we got everyone ready, we had to go to the 10:45 (aka "dangerously close to naptime") service.
When we got there I started getting strategic. I knew Colin would be fine going to his Sunday school class, but Cameron is a total mama's boy (not to mention, this morning, a tired mama's boy). So I suggested that I drop Colin off and Curtis drop Cameron off - with one catch.
"Stay in there with him for a few minutes," I said. "He'll do much better if we don't just drop him off with strangers and leave."
But when I finished dropping Colin off, which took me all of 30 seconds, Curtis was already waiting in the hallway - sans Cameron. I shot him a look, but he just said, "Cameron is fine. Let's go."
Guess who started crying within two minutes?
Long story short, even though initially they managed to calm him down, we got paged within the first ten minutes of the service and had to go retrieve a near-hysterical Cameron from his room. We couldn't go back into the sanctuary with the screaming, squirming baby. The service was broadcast into the lobby, but it wasn't the same; still, we stayed because we just knew Colin was having fun in his classroom.
... Until we went to pick him up, and the guy told us - a little irritably - "He didn't want to participate much." There was no further elaboration on that statement, so I don't know if Colin was acting up or just being antisocial or what, but still. Ugh. I left church this morning feeling like everybody else's kids were normal and mine were somehow socially defective.
Seriously, though, if my opinions had been taken into account (early service, staying with Cameron until he was comfortable) I think it would have gone much more smoothly. But what do I know? I'm just their mother, who's with them 24-7 and can predict their behavior before it happens.
I'm tempted never to try it again, and to just hope that the CD of children's Bible songs (over one full hour - thanks sooooo much, Nana) that we listen to in the car will suffice as my kids' religious education. *sigh*
Curtis and I aren't religious fanatics by any means, but we both grew up attending church regularly, and we both agree that we feel better when we do go. Plus we feel it's important to give our kids some sort of religious/spiritual foundation (not to mention a chance to play with other kids their age). But since we moved here a year and a half ago, his work schedule has been so crazy that we haven't had time to really find a church we like and attend it on a semi-regular basis. We've been to a few, and have had trouble finding one that seems "right." I can't really explain it, but at our last church (shoutout to the peeps of Central Christian in Las Vegas!) we felt comfortable from the start, like we belonged, like it lined up with our beliefs.
We thought we'd found something similar here. The church is a lot like the one in Vegas - obviously much smaller, but with the same sort of young, contemporary, laid-back vibe. I was relieved to think that maybe our "search for church" was over ... until we had a problem.
Not with the church. With the kids.
First of all, I told Curtis we needed to go to the 9 o'clock service rather than the 10:45 - after all, the kids' naptime is normally 11:30. But who was still in bed at almost nine this morning? (Hint: not me! In fact, I can't even remember the last time I was still in bed that late, but that's a whole different blog.) ... Yeah. So by the time we got everyone ready, we had to go to the 10:45 (aka "dangerously close to naptime") service.
When we got there I started getting strategic. I knew Colin would be fine going to his Sunday school class, but Cameron is a total mama's boy (not to mention, this morning, a tired mama's boy). So I suggested that I drop Colin off and Curtis drop Cameron off - with one catch.
"Stay in there with him for a few minutes," I said. "He'll do much better if we don't just drop him off with strangers and leave."
But when I finished dropping Colin off, which took me all of 30 seconds, Curtis was already waiting in the hallway - sans Cameron. I shot him a look, but he just said, "Cameron is fine. Let's go."
Guess who started crying within two minutes?
Long story short, even though initially they managed to calm him down, we got paged within the first ten minutes of the service and had to go retrieve a near-hysterical Cameron from his room. We couldn't go back into the sanctuary with the screaming, squirming baby. The service was broadcast into the lobby, but it wasn't the same; still, we stayed because we just knew Colin was having fun in his classroom.
... Until we went to pick him up, and the guy told us - a little irritably - "He didn't want to participate much." There was no further elaboration on that statement, so I don't know if Colin was acting up or just being antisocial or what, but still. Ugh. I left church this morning feeling like everybody else's kids were normal and mine were somehow socially defective.
Seriously, though, if my opinions had been taken into account (early service, staying with Cameron until he was comfortable) I think it would have gone much more smoothly. But what do I know? I'm just their mother, who's with them 24-7 and can predict their behavior before it happens.
I'm tempted never to try it again, and to just hope that the CD of children's Bible songs (over one full hour - thanks sooooo much, Nana) that we listen to in the car will suffice as my kids' religious education. *sigh*
Or, maybe you could just start watching one of those television services....
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll try it again and things will go much better (especially if Curtis learned anything from this morning). Good luck!
next time, go to the 9 oclock without your husband. or wake him up! And of course, you need to teach him that mommy is always right and daddy has no say in the matter! haha. happy wife = happy life. Also, shame on the guy running Colin's class for being snippy. A new kid in a new environment has a right to be a little difficult until he adjusts. if you don't realize that and can't be patient, you shouldn't work with children. Good luck with your search - don't give up on this church yet!
ReplyDeleteI say give it another shot - try the early service next time....if you can drag Curtis out of bed! ;-)
ReplyDeleteWe all have horrid kid days at church. they aren't all that way!
ReplyDelete