On any given Sunday...

there is the opportunity for chaos and mayhem. Today was such a day.


Our realtor scheduled an open house for this afternoon and of course, we were still cleaning and straightening this morning before church. Then D decided he was going to go to an auction instead of church. So Kenson and I headed to church and D headed to the auction.


And church is where the drama begins. The two of us head in and sit towards the back. Kenson is a bit loud and just kind of testing the limits. After a bit of this and then a yank on my earring, I hauled him out of the sanctuary and headed to the car with threats of violence. (Okay not really but we did head to the car and I was a bit cranky.) After a quick conversation, he assured me he would obey. (Ha!)

When we get back in to the santuary, another family had arrived and unintentionally sat in our seats. So I had to ask them to pass me my things and then find a new seat in a packed santuary with a child who is saying pretty loudly, "My spot!" Of course, the front rows have some open space so that's where we head. We sit down, worship continues, Kenson plays appropriately for a few minutes and then needs to go to the bathroom. So out we go.

Back in, all the way back to the front, and then we sit for a few more minutes until Kenson starts playing way too loudly. He won't stop and so I ask him to scoot over closer to me, hoping proximity will make him more mindful. He refuses and moves away from me. I move to pick him up and move him closer and he starts screaming no. So back out we go, into the foyer. (Trip number 3 out in about a 15 minute timespan.)


Now what to do? Sitting in the foyer seems a bit of a reward for bad behavior, especially since we've already discussed/prayed over disobedience. He can't stay in the sanctuary because he's being loud and disobedient.


The other kiddos his age are upstairs but that presents a problem as well. Kenson has been doing great in the nursery and Sunday school rooms but now that school has started back up, all the classrooms have changed. Kenson is now 3 so he is supposed to go to Kids Club during the sermon instead of nursery. Kids Club is for 3-6 year olds and has a new teacher every week. He has not done well with it. He wants to go back to the way things were. And I really would have no problem letting him but due to the way the ages break down, his old nursery room is no more. There was a big group of 3 year olds who moved up and no 2 year olds so his old classroom is now empty.

That means he can go to the new nursery with the babies, go to Kids Club, or stay with us in church. The last 3 weeks, I have gone to Kids Club with him as he was not wanting to stay and started throwing a huge fit if I left. (When I say huge, I mean huge. We are experiencing more tantrums at home too so I'm not surprised. He has been such a complient kiddo but now he is testing and pushing, trying to see if we will relent if he flails, hits, or yells.) So I can take him up there but I will be forced to stay or forced to leave him tantruming.


We sit quietly for a while, kind of in time out. And then we talk about going upstairs. I go over all the basics of going upstairs. Mama will be down here. It's a little scary I know. Your friends will be upstairs. And Kenson affirms that he will not get mad or cry.

Up the stairs, in the door, and...the tears start. No, Mama! I tried to pry him off of me and hand him over to the high school aged helper. He is not ungluing himself from me at all. He's getting louder and more flailing and desperate. The adult leader stops everything, instructs the high schooler to take him, and I exit, with tears in my eyes. I know he is okay, that he knows I'm coming back. I know that he is anxious because of the different teachers, the number of kids, the older kids, and the new classroom. I know some of his behavior is related to his desire to control the situation, to keep me next to him. So I leave, and pray that the screaming, flailing, and tears will stop. All the other kids are looking at him as I leave. I'm feeling terrible for leaving the teacher with an emotional mess. I head to the church library and wait. (With a Kleenex in hand.) I hear screaming and loudness for about 5 minutes. And then it stops. Hallelujah! The rest of the time (remainder of Kids Club and then transitioning to Sunday school) is easy.

Too much craziness today. Quicky cleaning, a sick and semi absent husband, lots on my mental plate, a cranky and disobedient kid, too many trips out of the church sanctuary, too much craziness. Hoping next Sunday is less eventful.