To think parents with very young 'LOUD' children should take them out of a school performance

[pingu2209]

I am 100% prepared to be shouted down and told I am totally unreasonable - because I actually think I may be being unreasonable.

Yesterday was the school Christmas service at our local church. The school is CofE and has a service at church for Harvest, Easter and Christmas. However, there are a handful of parents with very young (under 3) children who stay in the church even though their children are making a racket.

At Harvest and Christmas you couldn't hear the children giving the reading (even though there were microphones) because of the noise of the children. Basically the parents all sit at the back of the church and couldn't hear the service.

Some young children were screaming and having a tantrum. Others were walking about and being very very noisy.

Now a little children's noise is to be expected - enjoyed even. But ... am I being unreasonable to have expected the parents to take their young child out of church for the sake of the other parents?

Yes, they should be taken out. It isn't fair on the children who are trying to give readings or are performing. It is way some schools have started to have child free audiences - because some parents won't take their noisy little ones out.

The Church is a place of worship though and it is an inclusive environment. What would Jesus say? :o

DDs school have a ban on children in the audience!

to be fair tho, they do offer a free creche on a 1st come 1st serve basis

We were there to 'witness' a wedding. We didn't. The vows were completely inaudible.

That couple had spent a year planning their wedding, writing their vows, saving up the money, and it was just like sitting in a noisy creche.

You are not being unreasonable in the slightest. We are unfortunately in a tiny minority, sad to say.

Jesus wouldn't get married in a church.

I don't think YABU but I do remember being taught to behave in church (brought up Catholic). It was just expected that we went and participated and behaved and I don't ever remember there being a problem with noise. I think that children have to be taught to behave, be quiet and be still in certain places and they won't get the chance to learn that if they don't get the chance to go. So it's a bit of a vicious circle, isn't it? But YANBU.

Jesus would have been married in a synagog (sp?) he was a Jew

They should take the kids out, its not socially acceptable to allow a child to ruin an event for others because they cannot be parented properly.

I think you may be right Wilson. I was brought up 'church-going' and that was that.

The Sunday School teachers would have had us out of that church in a flash if we'd dared to disturb a service.

Indeed Pingu, Jesus married Dan Brown in the Synagogue of Mary Magdalene in 4BC as Halley's Comet illuminated the ruins of Atlantis.

I'm in two minds (we had a baby being actively encouraged to make a noise by a parent during a school performance):

first mind (as a teacher): it distracts the children, and their behaviour/singing/narrating lets you down as they have been brilliant in the rehearsals. Teachers end up stressed and judgemental of parents.

second mind (as a teacher who has forgotten all the rehearsals) : the children are getting a warm, fluffy feeling from the baby, they think it's funny; the audience think it's sweet, and no-one knows the children have behaved impeccably/sung 6 times as loud/enunciated their words more clearly during rehearsals! The audience and children go home happy.

At the end of the day I favour my second mind. It doesn't really matter at all, does it?

synagogue. But he probably would have called it a temple. Jesus never did get married did he?
Confirmed bachelor.