Helpful for a little one at Mass

Just as I was worrying about my son's spiritual health in a previous post, I got the news from my son's teachers, "You must take him to church regularly, he had a quite a lengthy conversation with a couple of teachers about Mass, genuflecting and lifting the wine cup.   Just in case you think he's not paying attention, he actually is!"

That statement was encouraging.  I almost think my son used to pay more attention at Mass a while ago and now has just become so antsy it's hard to keep him still.  For Christmas, my son got the "Missal for Little Ones" from Ignatius Press from my mother-in-law.  Two weeks ago, he used it and had us follow along with him.  He was very engaged and was trying to kneel, stand and move around along with the appropriate parts of Mass.  Prior to Mass this week, he asked for a cup and a napkin and on his own asked to re-enact some parts of Mass.  Of course this week was a little harder at Mass and I had to tell him he needed to be quiet or else I would take a toy away if I had to haul him to the back of the Church.  In his defense, we went to Mass at a later time and he was tired and hungry.  It was a last resort for me to use a "stick", but all the "carrots" I had offered were just not enticing enough to keep him from screaming.  Oh well.  We are a work in progress, I'll take the victories and small moments I can get and I will keep bringing the Missal to Mass with us.