How to Get Kids to Behave in Church

Are you tired of sitting in church trying to listen and learn only to have to keep leaning over to "hush" your toddlers or to pick them back up and put them on their seat or to run down the aisle to get them before they reach the pulpit? Then here a few steps to take to help them "be still".

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Be Still And Know That You Are Not Alone

1. Even though if feels like you are the only one with rowdy kids, know that you are not alone. In addition to this article, talk to other parents to learn what works for them.
2. While it is almost a certainty you have done this time and time again, continue to talk to your children about church, its importance to you and why you go as a family. Even though it seems like they may not be listening or understanding, they are hearing what you say, and one of these days your words will have an influence on them if they have not already.
3. Remember your kids are kids. One, two, three hours of church--how ever long your service is, see it from their perspective. Sitting still for a kid is hard enough, let alone for three hours while listening to an old man talk about things they don't quite understand.
4. Make it a habit of talking to your kids about church during the week, not just before and after, though that is important too. Especially make it a point to talk to them during the service, putting the speakers' words into terms they will understand. This will help them keep more focused on what the speaker is saying than their toys. You may feel like you are not getting a lot out of it, but you are--through a child's eyes.
5. Get in the habit of asking them questions after the service in order to help them listen more during it.
6. Sometimes your kids may be too young to listen or understand. In that case, bring books based on church subjects or pictures of church things to look at or coloring pages of church subjects. Talk to them about what they are coloring.
7. Make a game out of it. Have fun. Make a bingo board with pictures of church subjects or church words. Every time the speaker refers to one, they can cross it off.
8. Reward them for sitting still. My wife and I have what we call a mystery box. The kids know a surprise will be in it for them after church, but only if they are good during church. The surprise should not cost too much money.
9. Get in the habit of not watching TV on Sundays. In this day in age, kids largely suffer from an untempered restlesness, in part as a result of TV viewing habits. The same should go for how hard they play prior to church. If they get all "juiced" up, it is much harder to calm them down during the service. Take some time before church to get ready then sit calmly and look at church books.
10. Above all, make sure you listen and sit still, too. Maybe the talk or sermon is boring. But don't let your kids catch you nodding off or doodling on your program. Lead by example.