Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Philosophy/religion

Join our Philosophy forum to discuss religion and spirituality.

Original poster

Please advise........what do you do if your 3yo shouts BOOBIES in the middles of mass?

28 replies

LynetteScavo · 12/10/2008 20:33

DH wasn't sure what to do.

5yo laughed and said "say it again" so of course she did.

DH was embarrased/annoyed & banned all Sunday treats (chocolate/ pudding etc)

What would you have done?

OP posts:
umberella · 12/10/2008 20:34

and

rofl

ShinyPinkShoes · 12/10/2008 20:36

Ignored him

and then laughed my HEAD off!

HRHSaintMamazon · 12/10/2008 20:39

laughed.

but then i took Ds to massa when he was about 3. he ran right down the aisle bang in the middle of the Priest giving the names of who we were praying for that week.

I was so concious of not swearing that i stood up and said "oh god"

i could have died right there on the spot.

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 12/10/2008 20:59

Seriously people......so you think DH should have just laughed it off?

Should he have taken them home? I think he wanted to.

OP posts:
amber32002 · 13/10/2008 07:18

Children make a 'joyful noise' in church. Jesus was happy to say to his Disciples that children should be free to be themselves around him.

And young ones say things without a clue what it means, so I doubt anyone in the church was offended (and if they were, they must have forgotten what childhood is like...!). I used to say a sharp hissed 'No! That's rude" to son when he was small if he did that sort of thing in a gathering, but sometimes we did have to take him outside/into the quiet room if he was being a handful, and wait until we had his attention before re-explaining the rules.

childrenofthecornsilk · 13/10/2008 07:23

Clap

MaryBS · 13/10/2008 07:31

I think ignoring it might have been the best approach. I wish you luck for next week.

DS has been known to announce how bored he is and is it time to go home yet? (Very embarrassing when I'm training to be a lay minister).

Original poster
LynetteScavo · 13/10/2008 13:34

What kind of clap do you mean, cornsilk?

DS1 (9) says "Can we go soon?" or "Is it nearly over?" Which seems quite reasonable to me some weeks.

They usually refused to go to the childrens liturgy group, so have to sit through the whole of mass.

Is it OK for me to let them colour? I usually do give them something to do, but have always wondered what people thought about me doing so. Other children seem able to sit still and quiet through out, but I would need to drug mine to achieve that effect.

OP posts:
Seeline · 13/10/2008 13:41

I take a bag full of activities for mine - if there isn't Sunday school or whatever. They colour, do stickers, look at books and even have the occassional (quiet) snack. I've found it helps reduce the endless trips to the loo that they insist they need, but are really only to relieve the boredom

cyteen · 13/10/2008 13:47

i would have cracked up laughing but then i am a godless heathen with a very juvenile sense of humour.

childrenofthecornsilk · 13/10/2008 13:49

A 'Bravo!' clap. Then take a bow.

mistlethrush · 13/10/2008 13:56

Mine decided it would be good to make the most of the rather good acoustic in the church. He saved it up until 'The peace of the Lord...' 'WWWHHHHHAAAAAA!!!!'

Niecie · 13/10/2008 13:57

Laughed self consciously, and put a hand of her mouth before she tried to do it again. Then distraction if possible.

My two have 'heckled' before and the rest of the congregation have laughed too.

DS1 is not very good a speaking quietly at the best of times and has been known to ask if it is time to go yet as he hates church.

If I had tried to ban treats for my two whilst in the serivce they would have really acted up so best not to do it then.

QuintessenceOfFrankenShadow · 13/10/2008 13:59

So what? Boobies is just a word. He is in Church, and it should not be seen as neither punishment nor chore. Let the kids enjoy it, and dont make it seem horrible.

I will not forget going to a wedding, bringing my 18 month old to Church and he shouted "NO!" at the most inconvenient moment..... (Do you, Tor take Trina as your beloved wife - cue "NO!" from my ds)

FAQ · 13/10/2008 14:08

I would be stifling giggles

pinkdolly · 13/10/2008 19:29

When my dd2 was about 3 she stuck her finger in her nose in church and pulled out a bogie and very proud went look mummy bogie. This was at a quiet point in the service, I was mortified so ignored her.

Not good!

She then proclaimed very loudly mummy bogie!
so I answered her in the hope she would be quiet. Not so, she then had to tell dh who was sitting on my other side, so repeated the sentence again rather loudly.

Very embarrasing. But children will be children and I'm sure the rest of the congregation understand that.

Blandmum · 13/10/2008 19:30

'Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for their's is the Kingdon of Heaven'

LOLOLOL

pinkdolly · 13/10/2008 19:30

Sorry that really wasn't much help. Just wanted to show you that your child will not be the first or last to embarras their parents in church.

nickytwoooohtimes · 13/10/2008 19:30

DS regularly shouts "for thelove of God" during mass because that tis the other very fafmiliar context in which he hears God's name! It makes most people giggle. I guess it's his way of praying.

MaryBS · 13/10/2008 20:07

Oh yes, DS the other week, we got to the communion rail, I was given a host, and he shouted "I want to see them all!"

amber32002 · 14/10/2008 07:04

Mary, I must admit that I've often felt like asking if I can have one that's been properly broken, rather than one with a corner missing, and it's only me being an adult that stops me saying "But mine's got some missing, Mr/Mrs Vicar! I want another one!"

seeker · 14/10/2008 07:49

I wouldn't take a 3 year old to Mass!

But if I did and he or she shouted it would depend on what sort of service it was. If it was a family service, I would try not to laugh, and pull out the colouring, plasticine,book, chocolate biscuit - whatever I had in my bag as a distraction. If it was a solemn grown up mass I would take them outside immediately so they didn't disturb other people.

ScaryHalloweenSquonkRAAR · 14/10/2008 08:01

When we went to dnephew's first communion, dd2 (3) waited till the priest paused for breath and then announced in a very loud voice "mummy, I wanna go hooooooooome"

I was mortified and whispered at her to be quiet

My SIL said afterwards that it was only what everyone else was thinking and it was time for the priest to get a move on so she did us all a favour.

(I notice we haven't been invited back though )

Tommy · 14/10/2008 08:04

gosh Lynette - you should come to our church - it is like a sub branch of the toddler group. DS3's latest trick is to swipe the collection basket (while empty, fortunately) and walk around the church looking hopefully at people and then walking up and giving it to the priest - whatever stage of the mass it is.

DS1 once shouted out "Sex" very loudly so everyone heard. He had never said the word before nor said it since.

I spend a lot of my time at church rolling my eyes and collecting DS3 from whatever mischief he is up to.

Nobody minds - although somone did say something once to the priest and he told them that if they didn't like seeing the children at church (where they belong because it is their church too) then they should go to another mass

cyteen · 14/10/2008 08:34

this thread is making me cackle, i'm sorry to say