tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9196316261585940971.post751364120409909027..comments2023-07-06T06:04:07.849-07:00Comments on Sister, Daughter, Mother, Wife: Children, Too, are Part of the ChurchAnna Mussmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11631139113615066986noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9196316261585940971.post-12435325172052966212017-07-01T08:26:58.407-07:002017-07-01T08:26:58.407-07:00Hi Katherine! I am in the South Eastern corner of...Hi Katherine! I am in the South Eastern corner of the state- what a small world. Thank you for your comment. I think you may have given me undo credit in regards to a Federalist post! You must be thinking of the editor of this website, who is a very gifted, educated, woman who writes for them! <br /><br />I, too, am in congregations that do quite a bit of authentic interactions between generations (many of the examples in this article are from my congregations.) As in anything, there are extremes in practice, and completely co-mingling ages has faults and ignores the differences that are there between adults and children. Ideally, congregations do well to have times when different groups within a church can find support with others in their similar situation in life (women's groups, singles groups, grief groups, kids, etc...) and also have time to expand their horizons and realization of a bigger body of Christ by also being connected to others outside their "circle." This blog post was intended to bring the practice of churches back to this middle ground rather than give in to the idea that people do better when separated (which seems to come all to easily in human nature. Have you ever seen what happens at a big cookout? Men go one way, women go to the kitchen and kids go play in the yard...it isn't bad, but it takes a lot more work to engage with one another than it does to keep the status quo.) <br /><br />I second your thoughts on it being hard to listen while caring for kiddos! There are good and bad ways to approach this reality. Finding an older couple in church for older children to sit with sounds like a great solution. Kids having their own church service during regular worship service where they will not see activities of the church body being done until they are preteens is, in my opinion, not a good solution. <br /><br />Blessings as you raise your children in the faith. I am thankful to God that we have each other- even if only via internet- to remind us that we aren't in this alone! Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12952912740398865832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9196316261585940971.post-9188752580411216222017-06-14T13:12:19.416-07:002017-06-14T13:12:19.416-07:00Hi Alison, great article! I found your blog throug...Hi Alison, great article! I found your blog through a post you made on the Federalist (the one about educated SAHMs, which I SO appreciated!). A couple things come to mind when I read this article, but let me preface with I have been to a church that has wholly practiced this, and there are some really great benefits, but there are also drawbacks. I, and some other moms, found it very challenging to listen or participate if the children are young; we have also found with going to other churches, the 'segregation ' actually does help with appealing to children's learning differences from adults, they rats in bible stories etc. <br />in regards to the aspect of seeing how Christianity is done in real life, unfortunately too many parents rely on church and school to teach their kids morals/values etc. One of the reasons I decided to homeschool was not because it was better for their education, but because it gave me access to be their spiritual coach with all the problems that they have throughout the day. Anyways, i thought i would put my experience in as somebody who has practiced this with their church. Side note, my parents live in S Dakota too, McPherson county, you?Kathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17574497575728172459noreply@blogger.com