Can anybody offer some tips (articles to read, advice from an old hand..) on how to deal with kids that play up in Sunday School?
I know some behavioural theory, but struggle with how to define consequences of bad behaviour in the church setting if you haven’t managed to avoid the situation happening in the first place! We are trying to be loving, inclusive, accepting…..
In the longer term, we need to think of ideas for making the group more relevant to the couple of kids who don’t want to be there in the first place. In the short term, it is a shame for those children who want to participate, but also a risk that the helpers will be scared away from helping if it is too stressful.
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If they really don’t want to be there, then don’t make them be there. Let them know that they are free to leave anytime. You can’t force them to be part of something they don’t want to be part of.
Comment by Tasmaniac January 14, 2008 @ 11:10 amFair point, thank you!
Comment by Morag January 14, 2008 @ 12:24 pmAs the child in question was trying to drown me out shouting “boring” as I introduced the topic, the option of going back into church might have changed his view!!
I agree, I think you can say, it’s fine, we will get your parent out of church and they can take you away, we don’t want you to be having a bad time.
Comment by Claire January 14, 2008 @ 4:40 pmYou could try speaking to Carrie who does all the Godly Play stuff. I seem to remember they had a good way of dealing with it but can’t quite remember what it was!
Comment by revruth January 14, 2008 @ 4:46 pmHi Ruth - I’ve read some of the Godly Play books and all the theory is fine, but very much based around a particular structure of storyteller and door person. There is though a stage 5 in their process where a child can be removed from the session!
Comment by Morag January 14, 2008 @ 10:05 pmI’ve checked this one with the infallible word of god and evidently you have to take them to the gates of your city and have them stoned to death. It seems a bit extreme to me but who are we, mere mortals, to argue with such wisdom. By the way, you will need permission from their parents first (in writing, of course) but if their kids are that much trouble I don’t foresee them saying “no.”
Comment by MadPriest January 30, 2008 @ 10:47 amAh thank you MadPriest - a man after my own heart. I’d been pondering whether we could have instead of Supernanny’s naughty corner, perhaps a hell corner where pesky children could go and wail and gnash their teeth. It could be a nice craft activity to decorate it with big flames. And a heaven corner for the good souls decorated with fluffy cotton wool.
But stoning might just be less messy!
Comment by Morag January 30, 2008 @ 9:40 pm