Well said. I've always wished more people would bring the kids to church, rather than to nursery or stay home. So many times, I've seen parishes and parents isolate the kids in a nursery or not come until "they are old enough" and then wonder why they didn't stay in a liturgical tradition, or even in a Christian tradition when they are old enough to decide for themselves. There is plenty of blame to go around here, parents who feel it is not worth it, parishioners who glare or frown, and well-intentioned people who isolate kids and entertain them while teaching them to worship in some one else's tradition. I too hope that we all will persevere and keep the little ones in church. If they can crawl around for a year and a half smashing cheerios, kneel for the Lord's Prayer and elevation by age two, and walk forward kind of respectfully with Momma and Papa by the time they are three, we stand a lot better chance of retaining them as acolytes in fifth grade, and seeing them go to church on their own at 18 or 20. It worked for mine, and it is now working for my Grandchildren. Keep the faith and pass it on, and we will be blessed by heaven. "Raise up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it."
This is something to which I need to dedicate more thought.
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