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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

Is 7 too old to be christened?

35 replies

SingleMum01 · 02/10/2009 20:35

I never got round to it early, too knackered, going through too much at home etc. But would really like my DS to be christened. Has anyone had it done at that age?

OP posts:

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alwayslookingforanswers · 02/10/2009 20:36

We've had a couple of children around that age christened at our church, plus a few years ago my best friends' DH and her 16yr old DD were Christened as well.

MaryBS · 02/10/2009 20:38

We had a 10yo christened at our church last year. In fact thinking about it, on another occasion we had a family where the 3 children were Christened, aged 7, 10 and 11.

jumpjockey · 02/10/2009 20:40

I was christened 3 years ago aged 30 - it's never too late!

jenpet · 02/10/2009 20:40

Oh yes, we had DS1 (7) and DS2 (who was 9 months then) Christened back in May. It was lovely, at 7 they are old enough to understand what it's all about and ask questions etc. We live in France too, which is a bit traditional to say the least, and all the neighbours thought it was a lovely idea - they even discussed it at school & did a little project about it. Go for it I'd say!

SingleMum01 · 02/10/2009 20:44

That's great, what do I need to do, I must confess although I believe in God I don't go to church. What happens in the christening ceremony?

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stepaway · 02/10/2009 20:45

not too late! i was baptised/baptised when i was 12 or 13. I wanted to be confirmed and discovered that I couldn't because I hadn't been Christened.

SingleMum01 · 02/10/2009 20:47

what's the difference between baptised or christened?

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jumpjockey · 02/10/2009 20:48

Best thing would be to pop along to your local church and just have a chat to the vicar/priest after a service. They can explain it all and would be more than happy to welcome you even if you're not a regular churchgoers.

My baptism was done as part of the Sunday service but a lot of christenings are done separately - either just you and your DS or as part of a group all being baptised together. A really important question would be how does your DS feel about it?

Tortington · 02/10/2009 20:48

go see your local vicar or priest - you will probably have to go to some kind of weekly instruction in whatever faith it is that culminates in the christening - i'm not sure what the proddies and their variations do - but catholics have something white, then the preist puts oil on your head then the water the witnesses renounce the devil and all his works and your cooked

jumpjockey · 02/10/2009 20:49

Oh and baptised/christened mean exactly the same thing. Some people use one word, others the other

SingleMum01 · 02/10/2009 20:49

how do you explain it to your DS?

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SingleMum01 · 02/10/2009 20:51

and do I have to have godparents?

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MaryBS · 02/10/2009 21:30

Does your son believe in God? And no, he doesn't have to have Godparents, as he can make the promises for himself, assuming he believes in God!

You can get books which explain it to a child.

LynetteScavo · 02/10/2009 21:38

SingleMum01 - Techincaly a christening is when a baby is given a name (while being babptised) A babrism is a babtism.

So if a baby has just been born, they are Christened. A 7 year old, would be baptised, as they have been using their name for a while.

Although there is no difference in the ceramony, only what people call it.

I didn't explain that very well, sorry!

teamcullen · 02/10/2009 21:57

My DNs got baptised at 7 and 11 in a catholic church. It was in a baptism service with about 4 other families.

teamcullen · 02/10/2009 22:02

I think though, if you are getting him baptised in the hope to get him into an ajoining faith school, expect a few questions into why you have waited so long, do you attend churh etc..

In my experience, priests dont like the explanation "I want DC to be baptised so they can go to your school." Especially if the school is over subscribed.

LauraIngallsWilder · 02/10/2009 22:08

Jumpjockey - baptism and christening arent exactly the same thing!
Sorry to be pedantic though

A christening is the parents choice to dedicate their baby to God frequently by parents whose children who never visit the church again

A baptism is an adult (or sometimes child's) decision to show their faith in Jesus in front of witnesses by being dunked in water - ie full immersion, either in own clothes or as I did in a white baptismal dress!

yahoo answers

Children in families whose parents chose to be baptised as adults are normally dedicated as babies/children not christened or confirmed

MaryBS · 03/10/2009 07:26

Laura you are using this thread to project your own beliefs on the op. I was baptised as a baby, and fully accept it as a valid baptism.

Similarly the Yahoo answer that you quote is biased against infant/child baptism. It is not a balanced answer.

(sorry Op, for responding on this).

catinthehat2 · 03/10/2009 07:51

Yahoo answers

SingleMum01 · 03/10/2009 17:56

Oh well, it was something I would have liked, asked my DS today if he'd like to be christened. After explaining what it is he said although he believes in god, no. So that's that then!

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LynetteScavo · 03/10/2009 18:30

I didn't ask my DC's...I just took them along, with a promise of playing in a pub garden afterwards, and a big slice of cake. .

DS1 was 9, and can be extemly "willful". I did consider mentioning to the priest he has behaviour problems when he was anxious, but I didn't, and all three of my DCs giggled and grinned through the ceremony.

But then if I consulted my DC's on what they were going to do, our lives would consist of them playing in the garden 24/7, and never going to school or swimming lessons.

stepaway · 03/10/2009 19:31

LauraIngallsWilder
that definition of baptism you gave is actually very narrow. (That is more of a description of what happens in a Baptist church.) In the Church I attended not Baptist), all newborn babies were baptised (so were not making a decision themselves) not Christened.

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mathanxiety · 03/10/2009 19:43

Agree with Stepaway regarding the yahoo answers definition..

Depending on the denomination, there may be some preparatory classes required for a 7 yo (7 being the 'age of reason' in the eyes of some). They may ask what kept you away until now, and want to know if you'll be attending the church or making an effort to have the baptism 'stick' by helping the child form a moral outlook. I can't see any church turning you away because of age.

Jajas · 25/10/2009 19:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Peabody · 25/10/2009 19:36

I don't know too much about Catholicism, but in the Church of England, baptism involves the parent(s) promising to bring up the child in the Christian faith. If you wouldn't be happy making such a promise then it's probably not for you.

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