I have a very important calling at church each Sunday. When the other adults are teaching the children, youth, other adults, or just filling their own cups as they sit and enjoy learning from others... I get to watch, teach, and play with the toddlers (from 18 months through their third birthday); I get to help lay down a spiritual foundation of faith in Jesus Christ that will hopefully last these little ones for a lifetime! :D That's right, I'm your local Nursery Leader. ;)
Today after church, after all but one child was picked up from family members... I played with the last child. We held hands and sang and danced to "Ring around the Rosie" ..."falling down" OVER AND OVER AGAIN! :O Each time we fell down we would both laugh together. Then this darling little girl would say to me "again!" and we would do it again. :) When I finally decided it was too much for my older body to continue I decided to carry the little one on an adventure to find her mother.
Upon arrival, I was surprised to find that she didn't want to go to mom. She wanted to stay with "yours truly." :D I know it's silly, but it just really makes me happy when these little ones come to love me like that! :D This was truly a tiny moment of wonder... :)
Today after church, after all but one child was picked up from family members... I played with the last child. We held hands and sang and danced to "Ring around the Rosie" ..."falling down" OVER AND OVER AGAIN! :O Each time we fell down we would both laugh together. Then this darling little girl would say to me "again!" and we would do it again. :) When I finally decided it was too much for my older body to continue I decided to carry the little one on an adventure to find her mother.
Upon arrival, I was surprised to find that she didn't want to go to mom. She wanted to stay with "yours truly." :D I know it's silly, but it just really makes me happy when these little ones come to love me like that! :D This was truly a tiny moment of wonder... :)
PS. One mother spent time with us today. She was worried about her twin boys not being still enough during lessons. I told her that was NOT my concern. Though I do strive to teach them to learn to sit quietly, my FIRST priority is to help them to have a GOOD experience at church as they learn about Christ's love for them. And they will ONLY feel reverence for Christ in their hearts and experience the feelings of the Holy Spirit if they feel Christ's love for them; which is much easier to feel while feeling their leaders' love for them. Leaders and parents must be patient and kind for them to feel this.
Besides, the one who has the most to learn right now to help them with these goals IS NOT THEM, BUT ME. I'm new in the nursery, again. lol My children are young adults now, and it has been a long time since I was a nursery leader. I have only been in this calling for a very few weeks now, and I KNOW that as I learn to make more interesting lesson activities and lead activities that encourage reverence, they WILL be more captivated by the lessons and I will have their undivided quiet attention. Until then, mom and I really can't blame them for wiggling and squirming a little more than usual! ;)
Hugs to these little ones from heaven!
A happy Nursery Leader :D
I bet you are the best nursery leader ever. We had some big times struggles with my 4 year old last year in his Sunbeam class. They wanted to put him back in nursery because he wouldn't sit completely still during sharing time. I was serving in the nursery with my 2 year old and we really didn't want my 4 year old to be rewarded with going to nursery. It was terrible, he wasn't even bad, just wiggly. They wanted to put him in "time out" in the corner. and were always so frustrated with him. He just needed someone who loved and cared about him. He had young girls as teacher and they excepted him to be a perfect little angel coming right out of nursery. Thanksfully this year he has great teachers and a brand new primary presidency the love him and he is loving primary!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kendra. :) I'm a work in progress. ;o So sorry to hear about what your son went through... and so glad he has a new teacher and presidency that are more patient and that he now loves Primary! I LOVED Primary when I was a kid and am SO THANKFUL for the patient, loving leaders that I had!!!
ReplyDelete