This website and the resources available in the store have been more than a blessing, if that's possible. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to equipping others to serve... your service makes it easier for me to equip the people I lead! God bless!
-Danielle Carrasquillo

what others are saying

Yosemite Summit Blog:
2010: Recap & Video
by Karl Bastian

Children's Ministry Professional Edition

High Voltage Kids Ministry Curriculum Pack 2

Discussion Forums

Active Topics | Search | Help

Let's Talk Children's Ministry
Kidology Network Forum : Let's Talk Children's Ministry

Topic: Mother’s Day

Author

Message

<< Prev Topic | Next Topic >>

zNyteAngel
Premium Member

Joined: 21 August 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 389

Posted: 07 April 2009 at 1:06pm \| IP Logged

What are your plans for mom's day with the kids?

__________________
"and hope doesn't disappoint us for we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us" Romans 5:5

Bekah

Kidjoni
CP Team
CP Team

Joni Lum, Kidology Champion

Joined: 11 February 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1618

Posted: 07 April 2009 at 1:28pm \| IP Logged

I'm gearing up for Easter..then I'll plan mom's day.

We'll sing for all 3 services and have the kids make some kind of crafty gift for mom...lower cost than last year, though.

__________________
Connecting Kids to Jesus

nmd
Premium Member

Joined: 01 July 2006
Posts: 51

Posted: 09 April 2009 at 12:25pm \| IP Logged

For all the mothers in our church:

Our kids are decorating a bag that was cut out from our AccuCut machine. Then they will put some "hugs and kisses" candy and a pink pen that has Trinity Kids Love You! printed on it in the bag and add some tissue paper. (We also put our website on pen in case someone wanted to "loan" it to someone who doesn't have a church.) The kids will stand at the doors going into the Worship Center and give bags out.

During worship: Our kids will sing and do an interpretive movement the first part of the service.

During Kids church I not really sure yet.

During Bible Study it's left up to the teachers.

We do the same for dads on Father's Day except their pens will be blue.

pey
Premium Member

Joined: 02 October 2007
Posts: 10

Posted: 15 April 2009 at 4:13pm \| IP Logged

We will be singing for all 3 services and making a craft. The craft is a white mug that kids will decorate with ceramic/china pens and fill with hugs and kisses. To make the decorations permament they must be baked in oven. We will include the directions with the mug. They are really very sweet!

MissNancy
CP Team
CP Team

Nancy Keith

Joined: 13 November 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 1703

Posted: 15 April 2009 at 4:59pm \| IP Logged

We don't do Mother's Day. We have several kids without mothers. Two because of death, several because the mother just up and left. This holiday is painful for these kids. We follow this same policy for Father's Day because of the same reasons. Sometimes we will pray for the parents....and a special prayer for kids without parents, but that is all. We even dropped making a specific craft in Sunday School when one child broke down sobbing because she did not have a mother. It is just not worth it.

__________________
"I am not young enough to know everything." JM Barrie

Kidjoni
CP Team
CP Team

Joni Lum, Kidology Champion

Joined: 11 February 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1618

Posted: 15 April 2009 at 5:44pm \| IP Logged

I've had that issue too.

It was a delicate thing to balance, and i'd ended up wanting the kids with moms, who outnumbered those who did not, to do something to honor their moms. actually my issue was with those missing dads--one had died and the other divorced. Not sure that we handled it well, but I struggled with alienating the ones who were so hurt, but wanting the kids to honor and respect their parents.

__________________
Connecting Kids to Jesus

zNyteAngel
Premium Member

Joined: 21 August 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 389

Posted: 16 April 2009 at 9:07am \| IP Logged

Does anyone else avoid the parent days? I've thought about this for I have kids that had a mom die, a father put in a jail, or in divorced homes and I even have kids that are in foster homes that are adjusting and still trying to accept the new "mom and dad".

Is there a way to teach about a "mom" or maybe even a "woman" that will uplift and encourage them to find a spiritual mom?

__________________
"and hope doesn't disappoint us for we have the power of the Holy Spirit within us" Romans 5:5

Bekah

Becky54
Premium Member

Joined: 10 September 2005
Posts: 345

Posted: 16 April 2009 at 1:10pm \| IP Logged

We usually have the kids plant flowers in some pink cups and tell them they can give it to their Mom or any special "mom" in their life, (including me!) or to a elderly or lonely person in the church. We make light of it and the kids that DO have a mom will give it to them, and those who don't have lots of options. This keeps their attention on the joy of giving and not their circumstances. We have never had a problem with kids feeling bad or sad that don't have real moms in this way. We also have them write out their own gift tags. Living in MICHIGAN our season is so short that flowers are always a big hit!

pey
Premium Member

Joined: 02 October 2007
Posts: 10

Posted: 16 April 2009 at 5:10pm \| IP Logged

We have children in the same situations and I explain that I also lost my Mother and we discuss others that we might like to make a gift for such as an aunt, teacher or a favorite friends mom. This year we are also doing a special mission project for teen moms. We placed a porta crib in our children's area and will be filling it with diapers and baby items. We pray that it will provide love and hope to these young moms.

MissNancy
CP Team
CP Team

Nancy Keith

Joined: 13 November 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 1703

Posted: 18 April 2009 at 9:18pm \| IP Logged

I know that often people do tell the kids to give the craft to another person. This may give us a way to get around it, but it does not ease the child's hurt. Believe me, I have been there.

__________________
"I am not young enough to know everything." JM Barrie

Mingin
CP Team
CP Team

Joined: 02 December 2006
Location: Australia
Posts: 553

Posted: 19 April 2009 at 8:03am \| IP Logged

This is an issue each for me as well.

I grew up without a dad, he died when I was 11 months old, in a time when single prent families were unusual. I didn't like Father's Day much, but I would have not liked it whether other people celebrated it or not.

I know we have to be sensitive to all, but any time my own kids ahave been part of a program that falls on a sepcial day and it isn't acknowledged, I get quite cross that hey are being penalised for what was considered a 'normal' life. I believe in the Church we need to display and celebrate two parent families, and enjoy those families that have one mum, one dad and the kids.

This has to be very sensitively done, and in no way make the pther kids feel left out.

My bigger issue is with those who struggle with infertility, and the pain they experience when we have all the Mother's Day stuff in Church! By the same token, I don't think we should stop because they are hurting, but I think they need to know that people are with them in empathy.

As far as crafts at Kids Church go, we usually don't do a craft, bc I figure by the time we get to kids church, most have already celebrated in some way! Our kids do serve a special morning tea and that includes everyone, so whether they are a mum or not they eat and whether they have a mum or not they can serve.

__________________
I do what I do because. . . Little Kids are a big deal to God
Megan

Cindy332
Premium Member

Joined: 17 March 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 26

Posted: 19 April 2009 at 3:38pm \| IP Logged

Just my 2 cents here. I personally think that having a sobbing child in a small group setting would be okay. This would be a safe place for this child to show their pain and give their peers a chance to enter into their pain with them. It is okay to grieve what is lost and to share that with others is freeing and it helps us to heal. I love those opportuinities to teach other children how to comfort those who are hurting. It isn't easy, it is messy! Ministry is messy and loving each othe is messy, I love that!! That is what is wonderful about children, they have no fear in showing their hearts, no matter what the risk.

Cindy