Dave and I are what you might call non practicing Catholics. There was a time when we did attend church regularly, but as we had more and more children, we went less and less frequently. The recent Christmas Eve mass just illustrates why we have been absent in church for the past several years. Even with my parents and brother to help out, it was quite the experience.
Several minutes into a very crowded service, Alexa decided to take a dump. With at least an hour of church left, Dave had no other option but to fight his way through the crowded pew, through the hordes at the back of the church, into the freezing parking lot to change a stinky diaper. And, if you know my children, it doesn't take a lot space for them to get injured. A little while later, Ricky pokes me and with a look of alarm informs me that Alison is bleeding. Yes, she has managed to somehow scratch her cheek in the 1 foot x 1 foot space between pews and neighboring parishioners. As I scramble to find something to staunch the blood, the nativity play starts. I'm relieved because hopefully it will hold everyone's attention for a bit. It does, but Alison is very concerned that someone is going to DIE in this play, and says so very, very loudly. And much like anything they are bored with, like long car rides and grown up conversations, Alison asks several times in a loud voice, "Is this almost over? Can we go home now? I'm bored!"
Hopefully, in a few years, we can make a return to church, but I think for now we'll have to be absent. (And I think Father Matthew would thank us for that!)
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I completely understand! And I'm certain God understands the challenges of bringing little kids to church. I wish more Catholic churches would have children's masses, which are less boring and more engaging. My almost 5 year old daughter attends Sunday school, which she enjoys. But this is only offered for preschoolers. In our church, they have children's liturgy for elementary school kids during mass, in which the kids go to a separate room and come back to the main mass in about a half hour. My almost 8 year old son still thinks mass is very boring. I have explained the parts of the mass to him, and he also attends CCD classes, which I supplement with discussions at home. Hopefully my kids will sooner or later realize the significance and importance of their spiritual foundation and come to appreciate it (even if they decide to join a non-Catholic church as grown ups).
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