Date: 05 February 2007 13:11:23
The headbutt was an accident (and I did get a mumbled "s'rry" at least) but an accident that could have been prevented by the child either sitting quietly in his pew, or kneeling, because it was the Consecration, rather than lurching around like he had ants in his pants. And it is easy for me, from my position of childlessness, and not having much experience with children, to make lofty pronouncements about respect, and boundaries, and appropriate behaviour, and all the rest of it, and I will say that I was glad that they were in Church at all, and should I ever have children I will probably be blessed with Hellspawn who scream all the time and won't sit still and go round kicking perfect strangers on the ankle and biting people in Waitrose, because God has a sense of humour, after all, but even so... If I do have kids, it will be Biblical story books and colouring books, not Tonka toys and GameBoys, to keep them amused in church, and past a certain age, I would hope that toys will be put aside and "you will sit quietly and pay attention."