Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Reverence

Lately Ains has been giving us trouble during sacrament meeting. Owen always gives us trouble, so that's expected, but to have her start acting up again has been a real thorn in my side. Our rule for her is that she can't have snacks or do activities until after the sacrament, and then she is free to color, etc. This has been the rule for a while, it's nothing new. Maybe that's why I lost is 2 weeks ago and just couldn't take Ains anymore. We were about 2 minutes into sacrament meeting when she started whining and crying and fighting. I was so fed up that I told her she had to leave with me. I'm assuming at this point she realized how much trouble she was in because when I grabbed her hand to lead her out into the foyer she collapsed in the isle.

I'm sure we put on quite a show as I grabbed her in my large and pregnant state and dragged her out into the foyer. I got plenty of smiles seeming to say, "I'm so glad that's your child and not mine!" We walked halfway around the church before I was even calm enough to talk to her. After quite a lecture I made her sit quietly in the foyer until after the sacrament and then she had to sit reverently for the rest of the meeting with nothing to do. She did quite well, even though I don't think she realized how critical it was for her to behave at that time...things would have gotten ugly had she not.
Well, I think the lesson set in. Because last Sunday as we were getting ready for church I walked into her room and she was sitting on her bed with her arms folded and informed me that she was practicing being reverent. She then proceeded to give Owen a lesson on his bed. I must say, sacrament meeting was a lot more pleasant this week than it was last week. Thank Heavens!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wish more people in our ward would teach their kids some reverence.

EJ said...

So funny! Church is definitely interesting when you have kids.

shellydinger said...

That's amazing! It sounds like a story from The Friend. I always thought they were made up.

Kohl said...

Gavin has been doing the same thing lately. We have never had a problem with him in Sacrament meeting. Hopefully it is just a stage because I can't take much more of it! I think you handled it perfect! I also wish our whole ward would work on reverence! :)

Dancing Queen said...

Gotta love pay off from at least some of our lectures! Noting the above comment about the Friend . . . you ought to send it in because they pay for stories. =) Sometimes it's all i can do to get through sacrement meeting. Church at naptime, sacrement's last, and my baby doesn't want to hold still anymore! Luckily there are some men sitting close by (cause my husband's on the stand, and she's keen on the guys already) and they offer to hold her. I think you did swimmingly.