i'm sorry

[happy1nluv]

Here's what happened... got to church early this week and told the boys they could choose seats. they chose front pew. i warned that they'd have to be super good, they agreed, we sat. began ok, but they lost it during homily -- 5 year old was giggling uncontrollably (deacon was NOT making jokes), 3 year old was balancing song books on edge of pew and making them fall. Nothing that would have been TERRIBLE if we were in our usual back of church spot, but was terribly rude right in deacons face (he tells homily from church floor, not altar). they got 3 warnings to be quiet/listen/behave then we got up and went to stand in the back of the church...eventually going back to our regular spot. After church, i made them apologize to the deacon for being loud while he was trying to talk, but he waved it away saying he didnt notice (He HAD to have noticed ... we were literally 2 ft away from him)

Anyway... i really wanted them to "get" that their behavior directly affected the deacon... but something about forcing an apology that was so...i dunno. what would you have done???

[nextcommercial]

I probably would have done what you did for that situation.

In the future, I would tell the boys that "We just can't sit in front". They are too young to be quiet for an entire service, and they need things to keep them busy. They weren't really behaving badly, they were behaving fine, it was just the wrong place for them to be.

So, I'd drop it now. It really wasn't a big deal in the long run. They learned that it's not a place to be disruptive, and now everyone knows that little kids should sit in the back with a few little things to keep them busy.

If you let them pick the seat, tell them "pick any seat in the back rows". Maybe suggest an isle seat. That way, they have a little more space to move without bothering someone next to them.