Supposed to be at church right now. We’re not. Obviously. The last two Sundays, Abby has screeched with such rabid abandon as soon as we open the chapel doors, we end up out in the hallway for the entire meeting. “No! No nononono! NOOOO!” I mean really, what two-year old can sit for an hour? Why? Beanie cries and covers his ears whenever music or singing occurs, and we end up out in hallway. Again. I like church. I like going- I get good things out of it, and it’s good for our family- and yet, going with a two, four and six year-old for the 1 o’clock block is just torture. So, today we play hookie.
Abby has been eating cherries picked from Auntie Joy’s yard, and her cheeks and chin and nightgown (yes, I haven’t even gotten her dressed yet) are all stained a glorious Bing crimson. She’s sitting in the garden digging in the dirt, at watching the butterflies flutter around her hair. Beanie is wearing a dress and eating some peanut butter, Jeffrey is playing Lego, David is trying to teach Stella to whistle, and I still have my jammies on too. The windows are open, the house is quiet and the trees in the yard are whooshing peacefully in the soft breeze, giving us a break from the stiffling heat of yesterday.
I call that a good Sunday.
Dandelion Mama 
I feel for you! Our daughters apparently have the same genius strategy for getting out of the most boring hour of the week.
About a month ago I went on a sacrament meeting strike. (This strategy has not yet made it through the family correlation committee.) My husband, the chorister, goes to SM with the people old enough to behave themselves. I stay home with the beloved hellions. We show up for the last two hours.
It has been working out great. (Please God don’t strike me dead.) The littles are no longer screaming in agony at the thought of going to church. They seemed to look forward to today and enjoy primary/nursery. I need to hop over to a different ward to receive the sacrament and then it will be perfect.
I’m planning to attend our SM with the littles occasionally (kids’ talks, singing, that sort of thing). Hopefully, less will be more and we will be able to return to the fold in the Fall. Perhaps by then the littles will be willing to act like human children, creating minor chaos, in socially acceptable ways.
I always have a hard time with 1pm church. We’re at 10am right now- which isn’t my ideal (9am is) but it’s as early as they go here. It’s hard when lunch, naps, and just wanting to be outside.
I think HF understands- I always took comfort in the fact that he knows our hearts desire- and where is the comfort in church when you can’t pay attention and you have children who make it near impossible to enjoy?
I’ve just started going back to church, long story to do with IF & “man’s man cowboy bishop”, and in the last month staying for everything. Before I woudl send them off, and stay home and read the ensign, surf LDS.org– and have my own time for my own feelings.
It was wonderful. 🙂
Children are only little so long, enjoy it all– even the screeching! As for the cherries, yum!! We have none yet, but since it’s a new tree, probably won’t. I love cherries the most of all fruits.
Have an enjoyable Monday & week also!!!
I call that an awesome Sunday! Becca fell asleep quarter til 1pm (our meeting time as well) and Evan was out of town. I sent the older girls for the last 2 hours and had some quiet time for the first time all week. It really helps that they can walk to church.
A “man’s man cowboy bishop” would wear on my nerves as well. I mean, much of church is already very man oriented anyway, and with a leader who makes constant little “macho” comments, that would be a trial for me.
Yes, I made two negative comments about church in one post, oops. I do enjoy church (most of the time and when I don’t have to run in the hallway after squabling kids).
I kinda like spending time in the hallway. I know it sounds weird, but I always meet the other moms out there–LOL! We usually hang out on the couches while our banshees maul each other, and sometimes I have the best chats of the day out there. I have also walked laps around the church hallways, bouncing my fussy baby, and I kinda like that I have nothing else to do but hold her. It’s like our own little private time. Dh said he has often felt the same way. I mean, yeah, it’s not ideal, but in a lot of ways, I don’t mind so much taking the little ones to church these days.
Admittedly, though, I don’t have a 2 year old.
I so know about Sunday Screaming,errrr. Too be honest the last Sunday we were at church it was Mother’s Day..I am a solo parent and well lets just say when you have a child with any sort of issues you spend more time discplining then soaking in any spirit. I am tired of going to church and coming home emotionally exhausted. My daughter cant make it through primary without getting kicked out..
1:00 church is the worst! There’s really no good way to make it work for the kids. My 2yo recently discovered that if he screamed we’d take him out. Our philosophy is there’s no fun to be had when you get taken out–we just stand in a corner or something. But still, there’s something to be said for just a change of venue. So once we knew he was screaming with the sole purpose of getting taken out–then we couldn’t take him out. So for a few weeks he screamed, we stayed put, and who knows what everyone thought of us. Our other philosophy–totally unfounded on any shred of experiential evidence–is that if you sit right up front the kids will listen better. So EVERYONE is watching our shenanigans. *sigh*
Also I want to go on record: Aside from the occasional hooky, you should go, whiny kids and all. The kids will never learn to sit through church otherwise. And stuff sinks in sometimes, even when it looks otherwise. And church is for families and everyone should be able to handle whatever your kids dish out. And the church is lacking something without you and your contributions.
So funny, yesterday I was here reading about your hot new handbag when I shoulda been at 1:00 church. I was feeling kinda guilty but I’m just tired of getting dressed up, heels and all just to have a PPV worthy wrestling match with my Tarzan of a 2 y/o AND hope the baby will be good. My DH is the guy who walks around and counts people. 2 y/o isn’t interested in going with dad, just running wild.
P.S. I am a total lurker, but I can totally identify with you and I love your blog some of these things seem like I wrote them myself. thanks for providing a little semi-escape
I have to put in a side note- Jen38, I love church too- and I have a hard, hard, hard time with my Bishop. It’s worse because now my hubby is quite good friends with him, and his son I had this last year (HS.)
Okay– I’m off to figure out what’s for dinner…
You are awesome Mel! I don’t blame you, and I have never even met the guy! 🙂