Tips for getting through Mass with a baby/toddler

I'm in the same boat right now. My baby is 15 months old and doesn't walk anymore she runs!! I usually get her up earlier than normal in hopes that she might get a little sleepier at that time and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I also take little snacks that she likes too. I know this is a short time and eventually she will sit better through church. Our church doesn't have a cry room because the priests believe that the children should be in the church with the rest of us crying or not. That is actually kind of nice. Not much else from here. Let me know if something works for you that I can try. :))

I know what you mean. Dh and I were laughing last week, remembering this little girl whose mother used to bring her and sit in front of us. The little girl would take a Poptart and break it into very precise pieces, lay them out in a line all along the pew and eat them, one at a time. We're nearly there.... Our 8 a.m. isn't that crowded, so we have a pew to ourselves most of the time and I let him toddle up and down a little. Otherwise, I take his soft cloth books w/ us, sometimes hide them (or stuffed animals) in the hymnal holders (he likes to pull them out) We fold up the bulletin and let him unfold that, I'll let him stand on the pew facing backward (he likes to look at people) and then, if all else fails, there's an older couple that usually sits behind us. H has them eating out of the palm of his hand, so they are thrilled to have him come back and "visit" them. He'll sit quietly w/ them even when he won't w/ us. He's a wiggleworm, but I'll give him this, he's quiet. We haven't had any crying (knocks on desk), and only a little babbling from time to time--and I figure folks will have to get over that for a while.

Awwww HBV - you have church grandparents, too! We have a sweet woman who has "adopted" him at church. Even though her 2 grandkids go there, she'll reach back 2 pews to "peace" baby A's foot, if that's all she can grab. She's sweet, Cuban and speaks Spanish, so she says sweet things to him and blesses him every time, but I have no idea what she tells him! Last month we passed him back and forth to some people, and he was okay w/ that for a while. I guess growing up and going back home, our family fills 1 - 2 pews, so we were always able to pass the babes around easily. At my church, it's usually must me. Sometimes hubby, too (that Protestant! I made him feel guilty for not going with me last weekend). I'll try hiding the books in the hymnal holders. And maybe I can find a more empty pew to let him roam in. Oh and Denice - our cry room/changing room was turned into a bathroom last year! So now unless I closested him in the confessional room, I just have to pace in the back...... I never minded when people had crying babies (as long as they weren't screaming for half the Mass), but I find myself being SO self-conscious and trying to whisk him away at the first noise. Maybe I should just relax a little more. Our priest doesn't mind at all - he's joked before that he knows his homily is getting too long if he hears baby A pipe up with a 2 minute warning!Thanks for the tips!

And how are the birthday plans coming? It will be here before you know it. Hopefully it will have cooled down some by then.

2 minute warning---I love it! Our priest is highly entertained by the fact that 8 is now the "baby mass" ---apparently it used to be the one all the folks who DIDN'T want to hear babies would go to.

Hi, I'm new here...but just wanted to say that I'm in the same boat too with DD(4) and DS(3). My daughter is getting alot better at it, so much in fact that she occasionally now makes it to daily Mass with me...my son on the other hand is still all over the place. I think the only thing that helps is prayer and not getting too stressed over it...kids will be kids whether others like it or not. I also try not to use the back of the church as a way out for them...and actually use it as a 'time out' spot...lol. Beyond the foyer we have a little coat area with a table and chairs and it works very well to sit them down at...I actually haven't tried this with my son yet but it works very well with an older child. I guess knowing that you are not alone, kind of helps too.

No great words of wisdom only more questions:I've got 2 under the age of 2 1/2 years and 15 months apart. Both of them are mobile and both can and do throw temper tantrums. We have a 4 pm Mass on Saturdays and a 10:30 Mass on Sundays. The church that we attend is small and there aren't too many kids that attend (at least that I've seen). My dh isn't Christian so bringing him to Mass is sometimes impossible. I can handle one child acting up but two?? My daughter just turn 1 year old this month and my son turned 2 in May. Any suggestions?

Cheerios plain and simple. no you are not bribing him...you are trying to keep him quiet. He, at this point really doesn't care about the mass and will interuppt...a lot. Its the nature of the beast:wings: .Books and soft toys stratagicly given to him helps. IE ...if you really want to hear the sermon pull out the cheerios or favorite book then. I had 5 under the age of 9 with the younger three 2 years apart. There was times I would have to miss some of the mass because of temper trantrums. My daughter was 3 and my older boy was making his first communion....he got in line, she thought she should be there too..pitched a fit. My dad had to take her out and she was kicking and screaming the whole time. I was soooo embarrased!! The twins use to zoom back and forth behind me on the pews, I would give my feirce look(that look made mee shake when I was a kid), then sit like angels, until I turned my head ...then starting up agin.... somtimes if you really want peace, go to mass with out them:cheer:

We actually chose a new parish because they offer childcare in the nursery. Our priest isn't really jazzed about the kids that cry during mass and the parents that don't take them out. Personally, I don't mind that because I don't like it either, but that's just my own personal opinion and I realize that not everyone will agree with me. It is certainly not the "norm" in the Catholic church. We send both my 4 YO and 2 YO to the nursery. On September 10th, my daughter will start her faith formation classes and she'll be with us at mass until she is dismissed for the Liturgy of the Word for children, and then she'll join us again just before communion. She does great at Mass...but we will leave my 2 YO in the nursery until he is old enough to sit through it. He is so active and loud that it is impossible to enjoy mass with him. I think it just depends on your child, but my son just won't sit still and I don't want to subject others to his craziness. My friend has a little boy the same age as mine and he does GREAT at mass...just different personalities. So I guess my answer is that I have no idea because I've never been successful.

I like this thread . . i was just thinking about this today because we attended a baptism at a Lutheran church. My daughter started screaming and running the minute we walked in. My older son stayed in the empty nursery (not enough kids in the congregation to actually have one) with her so we got to hear the the whole service. Normally, my husband stays home with our daughter and I take my son to mass (I'm the only Catholic so far). I didn't realize this is the norm in Catholic churches. I didn't really understand why the "cry room" and no daycare (I grew up Protestant). I'm still wondering. Have actually considrered changing parishes to one with daycare (if I can find one) but my son is in Catholic school at the parish I am a member of (w/o daycare).

I can assure you that it gets easier. Kaitlyn is now 3 and she sits attentively at mass. When she was little, I had a diaper bag and another bad filled with toys. My stepdaughter used to love taking her into the back because she didnt have to sit through mass. Typical teen.

Cheerios are the only thing that get us through! Before DD was born, I thought I'd never be one of those parents that let their kid eat in church. Now I understand! We try toys, but last week she chucked a plastic fish two rows ahead and hit a man in the head! Luckily he laughed, but we were embarassed!