It was our first time to attend our new ward today. I made sure we all looked good in our festive red, white, and blue. I packed my diaper bag full of books, toys, and snacks for the three hour venture. And guess what- we actually made it there on time.
Gotta love 11:00 church!
We sat there "quietly" feeding our kid apple slices and cheerios. (Anything to keep him in his seat so we can pretend to be listening.) He's sitting on Stephen's lap, playing and singing along with the testimonies, when all of a sudden he grabs the bag and WHOOOSH!
cheerios everywhere.
And I do mean everywhere.
Apparently I gave stephen the look of "if Jacob had done that on my lap I would have caught it- so why weren't you as quick?" - but I did apologize for that later.
I was embarrassed. I am kinda sensitive knowing people were already looking at us: the new family. People were already looking at us: having the loudest toddler in the chapel. And now people were looking at us: frantically picking up our cheerios.
Now, that's fine. We'll get over it. And I shouldn't be so self-involved to think people are even noticing us, right? I was almost over it. Until I was shaking hands with a member out in the hall before nursery- and after asking if we were New or just Visiting, she kindly informed me of the "strict...
NO CHEERIO Policy (which also includes any other type of food)
...in the chapel during sacrement meeting."
What? No cheerios? Have I lived on Mars the last four years? Apparently.
Please note, I am not complaining about the policy. I do, in fact, think it's great that they want to keep it cleaner and quieter in there. I was just really caught off guard, and again, slightly embarrassed. We don't regularly spill our snacks, I promise!
So, dear readers, please help me- what are other non-food ways to keep a very active 1 1/2 year old entertained and quiet during the sacrement? Or must I stay in the Foyer indefinitely during the tot's lunch hour?
9 comments:
What??!! I would be in big trouble then, especially with 11:00church which is all around the lunch hour. I practically feed my smaller kids an entire lunch by the time sacrament meeting is over. Good luck with that and I'm interested to hear what other advice you get.
One idea may be having "sacrament meeting only" toys (quiet ones)that he looks forward to playing with each week.
My SIL has a stake with the same policy in North Salt Lake... so it's not just your ward. That being said. Go for protein before church to fill him up, he'll get snacks in nursery...
We have a really sweet magnet board things with a chopped up magnetic picture on it that is a magnetic puzzle, we also LOVE stickers! I just bring a sheet of paper and she sticks them everywhere and we waste a bunch but it works well. Also "little people" Fisher Price brand makes board books with little sturdy flaps all over them. We have a couple that we love and are just for church but totally entertaining and don't rip.
I'd love to hear what you get! OH and we have this mouse finger pupper thing... it's 3 mice that hide inside of a box with a lid and you can make them pop out of the box - it is super entertaining too! I can send pictures of anything if you need!
*hugs*
What a friendly welcome to the ward. Good luck figuring that one out; are there not very many toddlers in the ward?
Like Laura, we have church toys/books that they only play with at church. They key is variety and to rotate the items.
But I also survive church meetings by stuffing my kids mouths full of food. I'm starting the roaming the halls for 3 hours phase of church now again with Charlotte.
We have a new elder in our ward from Albany, OR, I'll have to find out his name.
Shock.Not a very warm welcome. I still remember the first time walking into the ward we now have lived in for 23 years, and our little family of five went to sit down when I was told by a woman, "That is our row". We got up and moved, later finding out it was the Bishop's wife. By the way do they also tell the adults no breath mints or gum? I think you could sneak in a few fruit snacks in your purse and feed him one at a time.
Who knew?? I still bring little snacks for myself all the time. I was looking forward to having kids so I could blame the bags of cereal on them... Now that's not even allowed.
Sorry about your interesting first meeting. I'm sure it'll get better and you'll meet lots of great people!
That is the DUMBEST thing I have ever heard!!
JUST BRING HIM SNACKS. What are they going to do? Ask you to leave the church? Ask you not attend? Not call you to be the RS President... ok by me!!
I would totally just bring my toddler whatever it takes, within reason, to help him, and us, have an enjoyable Sacrament Experience.
Good Luck,
Charise
I feel your pain. We moved into a brand new building a year ago and our bishop cracked down on snacks in the sacrament room. We were dying a little each week with our little toddlers.
Everything changed when I saw the 2nd counselor's wife sneaking food to her toddler. We have a HUGE ward so they have to open the gym so we technically sit in the "gym" and not the sacrament room. All the families with young kids sit in the gym and feed their kids, we don't bother hiding it anymore. Still, its a major pain.
No Cheerios?!?! CRAZY. Bring them anyways. Or try a different snack...if someone has a problem then you nicely tell them that it is the only way your adorable toddler will be reverent during sacrament. And you would like everyone to be able to enjoy sacrament meeting as well. Ha ha---
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