How to get Multiple Children ready for Church

Saturday, February 23, 2019


My husband was in ministry before we had our children. When they were born, they joined us in the habit of arriving early in church. I understand that unlike us, most families attend one worship service. I also understand it is challenging to get everyone ready and out the door. I hope these tips help you make this season of life easier. Here is what works for us:

Start the night before. We make sure our clothes and shoes are ready to go. When the kids were little, I packed their diaper bags the night before. Yes, at one point, I was changing three diapers. Fun times! The goal of preparation is to make Sunday morning smooth as possible.

Sleep well on Saturday night. We try to make sure the kids get enough rest on Saturday night. It makes waking up early easier. We wake up early most Sundays. We've had to get them up around 5:15 a.m. for Easter services. We do it all to serve the Lord Jesus. The kids have been great at waking up early.

Prep the food ahead of time. Part of the perk of waking up early is breakfast. I try to pack the kids' food early. I've had a menu ranging from baby food to breakfast casseroles. Most of the time, I make our own food. We treat the kids to donuts and kolaches sometimes. When I don't have to cook that early in the morning and I know everyone will eat well is a blessing.

Remember why. I believe it is important to remember why we go to church. We all know it is easy to stay home and sleep in but being obedient to God is more important. The investment I make in my children is important. I also want my children to know that we do it because we choose to obey God and we love Him very much.

Our family has a song for everything we do. I sing two songs I learned as a child about going to church. The songs are short, fun and they describe the joyful routine of going to church on Sundays. I believe the song sets us up for success. Songs make life sweeter.

The older the kids got, the more involved they became with preparing everything for church. Nowadays they choose their own clothes and they get dressed without my help. I remember when I had to get everyone dressed. Good times!

I don't know if going to church is a struggle for your family or not. I hope I offered you tips to make your life a bit easier. We actually look forward to going to church, worshipping God and fellowshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Going to church is one of the few habits we have that will make a difference in eternity. I hope you and your family can establish the habit of going to church every week.