From: missy@ntmtv.UUCP (Missy Iaquinto)
Subject: Re: Child Security and Childcare (was Re: 20/20 and Spanking)
Organization: Northern Telecom Inc, Mountain View, CA
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 19:55:16 GMT

In article <dlhanson.31.721337335@nap.amoco.com>, dlhanson@nap.amoco.com (David L. Hanson ) writes:
|> In article <1dm90bINNhdk@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> ck270@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Andrea Von Ahnen) writes:
|> >
|> >Strong attachment to parents is a *good* thing.  Preferring to
|> >be with parents rather than people a child doesn't know is
|> >normal.  
    ...
|> >     
|> >Andi  (Mom to Aaron, Alexander, and triplets due 3/3/93)

As the parent of a just-turned-three-year-old daughter who is still
quite nervous around strangers, and even adults that she knows,
I would have to agree that crying and screaming from a young child
in a strange situation does not indicate some sort of problem at home.
I get these sorts of comments ALOT from people, since my daughter
has ALWAYS been the nervous type.  There's nothing I appreciate more
than someone who *doesn't* question my parenting skills when my daughter
behaves more nervous than the "average" child her age.  Almost exclusively,
the people who simply accept her behavior as normal and not alarming
are parents who have/had a child with a similar personality.  In other
words, it seems to be difficult for some parents to understand that
what comes naturally or easily for their child is NOT a result of
their skills as a parent, it's simply the nature of the child.  Likewise,
there are areas in which my daughter developed earlier than "average,"
and I take no credit for them.  You simply *manage* the child with
which you were blessed.  This is not to say that there aren't degrees
positive and negative parenting, just that the personality of a child
does not necessarily indicate one or the other.

And, on a different subject ...

|> I would also ask why the children, of all ages, are not in the church
|> service with their parents.  Jesus Christ said specifically "let them
|> come to me" when the disciples tried to keep the children from bothering
|> Him.  Even in our churches, we don't want to be bothered by children which
|> is a sad commentary on society and churches (my local church is guilt of
|> this also).
|> 
|> David L. Hanson

I try to keep discussions of a religious nature out of misc.kids, but
I wanted to respond to the above.

I don't think the idea of having a separate service for kids is an 
attempt to keep children from "bothering Him" or anyone else.  Most younger
kids simply don't learn anything in an adult service.  I think it's
much easier for children to 'come to Him' in an environment where
the songs and lessons are designed specifically for children, than in
a service designed for adults.  IOW, Jesus is not only in the "grown-up"
room.

Incidentally, I have: stayed with my daughter in her class, kept her with 
me in the adult service, left her in her class (usually being called in to
get her because she's crying).  I can't see that any of these scenarios
violates the passage to which you were referring.  If you are the parent
of a child who is content to stay with you during services, that does
not mean that every other parent and child can also do that.  I'm
grateful that there are alternatives.

Missy Iaquinto
Newsgroups: misc.kids