It's a miracle

I've written on Mothers with Attitude a time or two about my son and the impossibility of him sitting still and quietly during Mass on Sundays. And so I'm happy to report here that we seem to at last have found something that works, and that something is the Nurtured Heart approach to behavior management. Not only has it made him easier to deal with all through the week, but the grace it's granted his wild nature has even extended to Sunday mornings. Recently he's been sitting calmly through the service, and has even gone up for Communion without saying "Get out of my way!" to the others in line or "Thank you" instead of "Amen" upon receiving the Host. Last Sunday was quite possibly his best Mass outing ever. This morning was not so successful, since he lost control as we headed from the Cry Room to the sanctuary for Communion and started shouting "Co-moooooo-nion! Co-moooooo-nion!" and had to be taken to the car, but he was so quiet and peaceful during most of the Mass that I can't hold that against him much. Dare I hope that we are headed toward a time when he might actually kneel and pray and participate in the Mass, rather than just lie still and focus all his meager powers of concentration on staying in control? Maybe in another 10 years.

If there are any other Catholic moms out there reading this, I'd like to share a couple of resources I've been enjoying this Lent: a Web site called CatholicMom.com that offers everything from faith-based parenting advice to Gospel-themed coloring sheets for kids; and "Magnificat," a magazine that's like a cross between a missalette and a prayer book and allows you to have little prayer services and even a Mass of your own every day of the week. Tuck it and a kid's word search from CatholicMom.com in your purse when you head off to Mass, and if your children don't make it all the way through and you have to camp out with them in the car, you'll be all set to make it a spiritual experience.