Church Question

On Sunday morning, why don't you change up the schedule a little so he is not in the middle of play time when its time to leave. What about getting up and going out to breakfast? Or read a book to him that ends at the time you need to leave. Do something fun with him. Why don't you pack a lunch and eat it before you head home? Maybe find a park and let him play or take a walk together. He may just fall asleep in the car on the way home. Good luck. I hope you get a lot out of this class and connect with other parents.

it's only for 4 more weeks, right? You'll have "sweet time" for the rest of your lives, or however long he will let you!! I'd say you thought the church program was important enough to sign up for, you already knew you'd have to drive 20 miles to get there, and you knew what time it started and ended. You probably knew it was in the middle of your sweet time too. But you made the decision to sign up. I say go for it, keep going!! Whatever the topic is must be of great interest to you, and you are probably making new friends to boot.

To a 2.5 year old child, an hour is a long time. Two hours, once you add the struggle to get out the door and travel time, is a very, very long time. The loss of that precious time with a working mommy would mean a great deal more to your son than it probably does to you, as hard as it is.

If this class were a necessity, I'd say do what you must. But since it's optional, and there may be opportunities to repeat it in the future, I have to weigh in on your son's needs. He's very young, and time is a really big deal. I remember how long an hour felt when I was in first grade (now that I'm 63, it feels like a few eye-blinks). And his connection with you is an even bigger deal. He will become much more independent in a couple of years.

I had to do so many necessary things myself as a single working mom. Honestly, looking back at my life, I would give my left arm to have some of those missed hours back with my daughter while she was young.

I vote to keep going... not only for the reasons that others have said, but this way he will learn not to be so dependant on having Mommy right there all the time. I feel like it's good for kids to be in a daycare/nursery setting every once in a while... gives him a chance to adapt to situations outside of his normal realm, so he will learn how to cope with the changes. :) Plus, eventually he will stop being sooo upset about it and I'm sure he will enjoy the chance to play with the other kids in the nursery.

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I agree with the other responses...keep going and for lots of reasons in my opinion. Question...does he normally get upset during transistions such as this? My daughter, now 4 andgetting better, used to hate them. When we go to bed I give her an outline of what's to happen the next day. So like on Saturday evening when I lay her down I tell her, "tomorrow's Sunday! What are we doing tomorrow??" I let her guess (now she knows) and then tell her we're going to church. We sort of do the same thing in the morning. If she begins playing, like your son, we let her, but tell her "you can play for a bit, but we'll have to leave in a bit." I'll tell her, "in five minutes, we need to get your shoes on." then, "okay, let's get your shoes so we can leave.." This has helped us tons! Just a thought...idea.

God gave him you to make important decisions for his future. Yes, it is a bit of sweet time you are missing but these 6 weeks could provide you with wisdom for the years ahead. You will always be balancing time with a child against providing for his future (work,his schooling, classes, ect.) Parenting is not for wimps. You made a good choice for his future. It has been my experience that if I made a decision that made a step toward God, circumstances would get infinitely harder. How bad do you want to be a good parent? Sounds like a lot! Keep on keeping on sister! You are headed in the right direction!

My answer depends if you're a SAHM or not. I figure as a single mom, you likely work and maybe your son goes to daycare. If that's the case, I would not rush him out the door on Sunday's too. It's nice for kids to stay home and play. And car time and nursery time cut into the weekend time that's impt for you guys. If he stays home during the week, then I'd make him go to church...

You should keep going. Your son will get used to the nursery it's only been 2 weeks. Life doesn't revolve around what kids want all the time. It's one day of his schedule being messed up. It's important to you. Would you miss work if he didn't want to leave cause he was playing? I know you don't make money at church but you are getting something out of your class you just don't realize it yet. Again I vote you keep going.

Bless you for all you're doing as a single mom and for your heart for your precious boy. One thing I'd suggest is pray and ask God for discernment whether this class is something to take *now* despite the difficulties it causes in your schedule and time with your son. If you sense that God wants you to wait until your son's older before you take the class, then pray for other opportunities to find a supportive church family for spiritual care and nurturing (raising kids with *two* parents is hard enough - DH and I *need* our church community to keep sane and focused). If you sense God wants you to continue, ask Him for guidance in how to ease the transition for your son (remember that God loves your little one even more than you do, as hard as that is to imagine :-)) and help him to find joy and friendship in the nursery. And if there are other believers you know well enough to share the prayer request with, let them know too. I'm so thankful for the group of women I meet with every thursday at my church's women's group - we share all kinds of prayer concerns and pray for each other (and laugh together too because you know, sometimes parenting puts us in such crazy moods and situations that you just gotta laugh).

And like one of the PPs said, when you make a commitment to something that will help you grow closer to God, you *will* encounter obstacles. But God is greater than those obstacles, and when you experience how He sustains and helps you over those obstacles, your confidence in Him grows.

Blessings to you!

I arranged my life (as much as possible) around my daughter's schedule until she outgrew naps (age 5). I figured if I had waited to have her until I was 41, I had had plenty of time to set my own schedule already, and would again once she was older.

I did work, but was able to switch to part-time for the first year, then her dad and I were able to arrange our schedules so that it made her day easier. She went to daycare, just did not have to spend really long days there. I did not accept invites to parties and such that interfered with her nap time or bedtime too much.

I don't mean that I ran our life on a strict schedule or anything, but I did not see a need to force things that just didn't fit into our lives. The time that they are little goes by so fast. Enjoy it, without all the "shoulds". There's plenty of time for him to learn "we gotta do certain things", in fact I'm sure there are already many of those things in his life.

If you look at the time you have with him on a pie chart, the years of babyhood are so small compared to the rest of it. He's not running the show and he's not learning he is at this point. All he knows is his routine has changed and for a 2.5 year old, that's hard. He already goes to daycare and he's well adjusted there. It's not a control thing for him. It is a need for your time.

I personally would not give up that time with him for a class. You may look into the material they are using to read while he is sleeping and do some of your own personal study. I'm very selfish with the time I have with my daughter because it took so much for me to bring her into this world. I won't give up a moment of it if I can avoid it!

I love the Lord. I listen to pastors online often, way more than once a week and almost every single day. I study, pray, tithe, and try and live my life the way he wants. BUT I am not willing to turn my household upside down so that I can go to church. We have a busy family with 4 generations under one roof. All of us have different schedules. My mother and I share my van. She goes to church faithfully, works in their Awana group and takes my daughter to church.

On top of everything else I'm allergic to perfume and going to church anymore is just not good for me. You can find other Christians to email with online, groups to belong to online, studies to watch, and you can download teachings to mp3 players. You can not get this time back. I say make your own church time with your son. Read to him about the Lord, listen to Christian music while you play with him and pray with him. God understands.

I totally agree with the last part of your post...he needs to learn we gotta do certain things whether want to or not.

I would keep going. If you adhere to a very strict schedule you will not be able to do anything. You thought this was a good class to sign up for so
please do not drop out because of your sons schedule. He has to learn
to be flexible. So it is good for both of you. Just explain to him that you will
come back. It will get easier.