FOR PARENTS OF THE LI'L ONES AT CHURCH

Jackie Zimmerer, writes an open letter on Catholic Exchange about how quickly our times on Sunday's with our children will come and go:

It's strange how seeing other Moms with their young children brings back so many poignant memories. Please believe me when I say that your kids' behavior bothers you more than it does me. I know how hard it is to convince the youngsters to sit still and be quiet for a whole hour. But I'm also old enough to know another secret: like my children before them, your babies are just one of God's ways of teaching their parents patience. The funny thing is, I don't find your delightful little distractions a disturbance the way my own children disturbed me when committing the same offenses. More often than not I'm amused when your little ones wriggle and squirm, chatter and cry, clap, sing and sometimes sleep. Those little ones are just acting on the same feelings we all have at one time or another at church: the only difference is that, as adults, we've had our objections socialized into a more quiet place in our hearts while they make their lack of willingness to be quiet or still one minute longer known to all. Adults and small children…we're really not that different.

Your children are a joy, not a bother.