[sitetest]

Dear el,

"Okay. Next week we will move our kids to the front of the church. Wish us luck."

When our guys were very small, they weren't terribly interested in what was going on at the altar. We sat in the very back pew every week. This accomplished two things:

1. There was no one behind them to look at and be distracted by. Often, well-meaning folks will engage a small child silently, winking, smiling, etc. This is really nice, and always made me feel welcome with my children, but regrettably, it sometimes caused the guys to get into a "play mode". Sitting in the last pew eliminates this problem.

2. If, by chance, one of the guys isn't on his best behavior that Sunday, in the back pew, he will cause less distraction to others.

Once my littler guy got to be about four or so, he started getting a little more antsy. When asked, he said he would very much like to see what was going on. At that point, we moved up toward the front. But, he was told that we would promptly move to the back pew if he didn't hold up his end of the deal, which was to behave well at Mass.

We haven't been to the back pew since.


sitetest

[el_chupacabra]

Thanks sitetest,

My family seems to be in familiar territory for you. We have been lingering in the back for a few years. My son just turned four and I believe he would be able to sit still through the entire mass if he could see what was happening.

Our 19 month-old, however, will be a real experiment . . .