Taryn Strauss

Director of Religious Education

REflections

March 2009

My Kid Doesn’t Want to Come to Church! What Do I Do?

I interviewed some UUCA parents on this topic to find out some of their strategies on making Sunday mornings a happy, fulfilling, enjoyable experience for their whole family.

Make It Special – The most popular technique parents use is to make Sunday morning a special day together. First, the whole family goes to church, and after church there’s a family date. Lots of kids come to church excited because afterwards they are going to the park with Dad, or to the movies, or out to lunch with the family! Time and attention is often the best reward, and this will allow you to spend some time talking over the lesson they learned in Religious Education.

Communicate with RE Staff & Volunteers – If we know your child is having separation anxiety, or is not enjoying the lessons, we can be proactive to accommodate your child’s needs. Some kids have a better time at church if they can be the class helper, and have a specific role to fill that day. We are always open to new ideas for improving our lessons or class activities.

Work up to It – Many parents spend some time in the child’s class for a week or two to help their child acclimate to the new environment. If your child sees you enjoying the class, and interacting with teachers, chances are he/she will follow suit. You don’t have to accompany your child too many times, the goal is for you to attend service while your child attends RE.

Church is not school! Our teachers are volunteers and we encourage a different dynamic from a school setting. Church is a special place for children to explore the wonder and mysteries of life, to worship in community, to engage in a spiritual quest, and to have fun!