Skipped 2nd Hour with DS

[Linked]

A few weeks ago my son asked me why I always skip the 2nd hour of church. The irony of him asking as we walked home together after we spent the full 2 hours at church was lost on him. (I stay 3 Sundays a month and leave 1 or 2). I told him it was because I would rather do home stuff than go to my class, then I asked him why he stays. He looked at me sideways, then said, "Because I have to."

This week was priesthood and I don't go to that, so I told my son I was going home and he could decide if he wants to go to his class or come home with me. Also that if he came home he would have to spend 30 minutes cleaning or serving somehow. I cleared the offer with DW before talking to DS. He has never made a decision faster. At home he happily cleaned up for longer than I've ever seen before. How awful must church be?

I am not looking forward to the church message twisting his mind to feel like he should want to go to church, then him choosing to stay. And the judgement he will decree on his unfaithful father. I guess we will see.

[Random]

I have noticed that children would rather stay home rather than go to church. They seem to hate it. (Maybe there are a few nursery kids that love it, but probably not many.)

[Anon70]

My gift to me yesterday was skipping church and all the kids at home skipped with me. We had an awesome day. The two youngest said, I wish we could skip church all the time.

I asked why and heard--it's boring, I'm sick of lessons on marriage, we don't learn anything new, I don't like how they talk about some people.

I asked, if you could go to any church, what kind would it be--one where they're happy with you if you come or not, one where we actually serve homeless people or people that need help (we just help each other), one that just talks about Jesus and love and kindness.

Me too, kiddos, me too.

[BriansThoughtMirror]

Ha, my toddler loves nursery. He also likes to wear a "nice shirt". I'm worried about what will happen to him, too. He goes every week, and I usually attend sacrament twice a month. I don't know how much longer I can take that, though.

[Random]

Once he's in the stage of Sunbeams where they stop playing with toys, his interest may begin to wane.

[slavereeno]

My daughters love church, its a very social time for them. DS#3 likes seeing his friends, but usually falls asleep in SM, that kid is entirely driven to church by guilt and shame. DW has almost no interaction outside the church, she needs it.

I hate every second at church. I usually skip EQ meeting, but DS#1 came to church with us for Mother's day and so I attended with him. It was like nails on chalkboard to my brain to listen to that "stuff" anymore. The guy giving the lesson started by going off about how every word that fell from the holy sacred lips of RMN "even the lord's holy profit on the earth" was a direct mandate from God himself. I was trying really hard not to fidget in my seat as I watched the clock tick down every agonizing minute to closing time.

Anyhow Linked, sounds like progress with your DS, good on you.

[Just This Guy]

At least for my kids, they enjoyed church until they hit 4-5. At that point it started to get boring, and if given a choice between church and something else, they would choose the alternative.

I wonder if it could coincide with them starting school. In the nursery and sunbeam classes, it's as much play time with a lesson shoehorned in. School starts about the same. In my area, Pre-K is basically semi organized, themed, play time. About the time they start kindergarten where they spend a good portion of the week sitting in class rooms, the church classes become more structured. To the kids, I could see the idea of spending MORE time sitting and listening to boring lessons will loose their appeal to the kids. They need something to justify the sitting. If they have friends, great. If not, then other options begin to look more interesting.

[Newme]

A few weeks ago my son asked me why I always skip the 2nd hour of church. The irony of him asking as we walked home together after we spent the full 2 hours at church was lost on him. (I stay 3 Sundays a month and leave 1 or 2). I told him it was because I would rather do home stuff than go to my class, then I asked him why he stays. He looked at me sideways, then said, "Because I have to."

This week was priesthood and I don't go to that, so I told my son I was going home and he could decide if he wants to go to his class or come home with me. Also that if he came home he would have to spend 30 minutes cleaning or serving somehow. I cleared the offer with DW before talking to DS. He has never made a decision faster. At home he happily cleaned up for longer than I've ever seen before. How awful must church be?

I love it! Mind if I borrow that?
DS has come home early with me but I missed the opportunity for him to earn it!

[Just This Guy]

This week was priesthood and I don't go to that, so I told my son I was going home and he could decide if he wants to go to his class or come home with me. Also that if he came home he would have to spend 30 minutes cleaning or serving somehow. I cleared the offer with DW before talking to DS. He has never made a decision faster. At home he happily cleaned up for longer than I've ever seen before. How awful must church be?

TBM Hat:
But... But... But... you are taking him out of church to go do work! How many ways are you breaking the Sabath?

There were a few times as a teen I would slip out of church, walk home and read a book instead of being at church. I would claim to not be feeling well.

[Linked]

This week was priesthood and I don't go to that, so I told my son I was going home and he could decide if he wants to go to his class or come home with me. Also that if he came home he would have to spend 30 minutes cleaning or serving somehow. I cleared the offer with DW before talking to DS. He has never made a decision faster. At home he happily cleaned up for longer than I've ever seen before. How awful must church be?

I love it! Mind if I borrow that?
DS has come home early with me but I missed the opportunity for him to earn it!

Haha, it's all yours! Usually I have to threaten him to get him to do anything around the house, but he was all about cleaning up to skip church. It's also something I have tried to do so my skipping 2nd hour goes down smoother for DW...

TBM Hat:
But... But... But... you are taking him out of church to go do work! How many ways are you breaking the Sabath?

There were a few times as a teen I would slip out of church, walk home and read a book instead of being at church. I would claim to not be feeling well.

As many ways as possible

J/k, but now the sabbath is whatever I want it to be.

[Angel]

My kids go to church while knowing their mother does not buy into quite a lot of it. My oldest just graduated from her seminary (more devout than the children of a few of the leaders in our church ), our youngest is rather rebellious - told our bishop in an interview she did NOT think JS was a prophet. Quite entertaining to see our bishop squirm and stutter under the eyes of an educated little girl - but even so, she is called in and serves in a youth presidency . Our middle - a goof ball, but they have good friends.

The kids need to participate in their community - their school, clubs, religious groups - they know they don't need to agree with all of it, or follow all of it - that there are disagreeable teachers in both the religious and secular realm - but that is part of the game of life.

Quite a few of the youth in the church hang out in our "unorthodox" home. We have a very diverse parade of visitors who walk through our door - had both missionaries, and friends from work (who were drinking) at a get-together this weekend ... pretty sure the missionaries did not realize who all was running around but you know, they were running around with "non-members" so it is all good .

Diversity is fun - the spice of life.