Many people ask how we get our kids to be reverent in church. My husband is (was until last week) a high counselor and sometimes he doesn't attend our ward that leaves me with seven kids at church by myself. Sometimes the baby needs to be fed or taken out durning church so that leaves six kids to sit by themselves.
So here some of the tips and ideas that we have found help the kids to be more reverent during sacrament meeting.
(By the way, I asked the kids this question and they helped me make this list)
reverence at church starts at home.
Number one hold regular family scripture study. We have the kids sit on the couch with their scriptures and take turns reading and participating in family scripture study. By learning to sit during the week they do a lot better on Sunday. Have you heard the primary song that says, "Reverence is more than just quietly sitting. . ." Having family scripture study durning the week also teaches them to understand spiritual things. It has helped our kids to learn from and enjoy sacrament meeting, not just view it as a time to quietly endure!
Number two we've learned that less is more when it comes to taking things to church. The more we take the more of a circus, zoo, and wild experience it becomes.
We don't have our kids take a lot of toys to church, if they are three or four they can have a pencil and paper to draw with or maybe some pictures of Christ or something little that they can hold. If they are older than that we really encourage them just to have their scriptures. We want our kids to understand that Sacrament meeting isn't a time for art projects or leisurely reading. We want them listening to the speaker, so we really encourage less stuff.
Number three sometimes we have a seating arrangement. We've learned that it's better if you can have kids arranged in an order where they can be reverent. The babies and the ones that need the most help get to sit by the parents and then the other ones are in a certain order so that the ones that fight the most are not sitting by each other! We have found that a boy girl seating chart usually works pretty well for our family.
Number Four I would like to add to the list that parents set the example. I can't even begin to emphasis enough that our attitude and focus in church has a tremendous effect on our children. With a 9 month old baby she sometimes gets a bit squirmy and I need to stand up in the back with her or take her out. I'm amazed as I walk out of the chapel and turn around and look back or as I'm walking in from having her in the hall, the amount of people on their iPhones and iPads. Many grown adults sit in Sacrament meeting playing games on their iPhones. I see children that are completely engrossed in a game on their iPad. It is sad to me that the sacrament meeting which should be focused on our Savior Jesus Christ and his atonement. Is more focused on the trivial meaningless mindnumbing games or entertainment. Based on those thoughts you can see that we don't allow her children to use technology in Sacrament meeting. I also have sacrament meeting a time when I put my phone and iPad away. If the spirit prompts me and I need to write something down I need to remember later I simply write a note on the church program and later added it to my calendar or to do list so I can follow through on that prompting
Number Five How we dress and how prepared for church we are make a big difference in our reverence. "How we dress is an important indicator of our attitude and preparation for any activity in which we will engage. If we are going swimming or hiking or playing on the beach, our clothing, including our footwear, will indicate this. The same should be true of how we dress when we are to participate in the ordinance of the sacrament. It is like going to the temple. Our manner of dress indicates the degree to which we understand and honor the ordinance in which we will participate." (Elder Oaks)
Excellent article on reverance
https://www.lds.org/ensign/
Elder oaks
https://www.lds.org/general-
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