how do you get a kid to behave in church?

[Valerie1979]

my son is 3 years old.
He has a lot of energy and he doesn't sit still well..... needless to say he is not well behaved in church -- trying my best and we keep trying to figure this out....

[wongjason72]

Get the minister to give him a pep talk.
Or you can get him to stay home until he is old enough to sit still.
Church isn't a good place for a three year old.
I sometimes have trouble not getting bored.

[502mania]

I sometimes have trouble not getting bored.

[prillycake]

Have a talk to him before church telling him he needs to behave and if he listens he will get a special treat after church. Maybe it's bribery but it should work!

[syntheticbeauty]

I tell my girls to behave and we will go for icecream afterwards if they do. I tell them if they don't that they will have to clean their room and go to bed early.
 They are 3 ( twins) so we are still learning how to discipline. It seems sleeping early is the affective words when it comes to them behaving.

[swogden]

Some churchs have organized a separate place for young children to play (with helpers to keep them busy and happy) while their parent attend the service.  We generally had Sunday School available for children less than 10 -- different classes for different ages -- that ran at the same time as the regular services.

If that's not available, but you have enough children in your church to warrent it, you might discuss the possiblity with your pastor or church elders.  

In the mean time, the best thing to do, is just remove yourself and your child from the immediate area until he settles down and then return to the back of the church (for a quick exit, if necessary)

Don't expect a 3 yr old to remember to be good all the time - 60 minutes is a very long time at that age.

[kconey70]

I say bring coloring books and crayons to keep him occupied, or suggest that your church start a children's church for the kids.  We have one and it usually goes from after offering to end of service.  It is nice. gives parents a chance to focuse on the message instead of keeping the kids quiet.  But I do agree that children need to learn to be quiet.

[janell07]

I am still working with our 2 year old to be quiet and still at church.  I bring things to church.  But we also have a nursery for her age, which helps. 

[bigedshult]

that is the 64,000 dollar question that i neve got the answer 2 .we had 5 kids and they all had there time when they were bad ta cu=hurch .but they were good most of the time os just get us to it and in joy it when they are good!

[cubarican210]

If your church doesn't have a designated area for the kids to learn from the bible study then maybe you should make a suggestion. I think it's a great idea to have the kids go to a different room and be taught the biblical lesson but in a more interactive way. This should all happen while the parents are listening to the sermon, that is mostly the time when kids won't sit still. They have to be entertained in order to sit through a lengthy sermon.

[froggylover227]

Coloring books and crayons are usually the easiest course of action. It's what my mom did for me at least. Action figures or race cars are also good, but as long as he knows not to make noise with them. If that doesn't work, I would tell him he is going to get a 'time out' afterwards if he doesn't behave properly. When all else fails, threaten him with the wrath of God! 

[PMZ908]

slap across the face would workout nicely

[Valerie1979]

thanks everyone -- really good to know we don't have the only challenge with this.
My husband thinks that our kid is the only one that doesn't sit still....

[heartofphila]

Most churches have the kiddie room, because everybody has that problem.

[sandiegosurfer]

when they are little with food like bags of cheerios but when they are older they need good old discipline.