What about my kids?

Don't let your kids keep you from small group! Christians have been meeting in houses for centuries—and they had kids, too. With a little planning, your kids will look forward to small group each week.

Starting Thoughts

1. Adding a small group routine to your child's life means he/she will grow up knowing mom and dad prioritize their relationship with God, the Bible, and Christian community.

2. A big component of small group is doing life together—part of life is creating new routines for important purposes. After the first (or first few) weeks, small group will be something to look forward to for you and your kids.

3. Your child will grow their own relationship with kids of other group members. They'll also grow closer to the adults in your group. "Church friends" (whether child or adult) are an important part of their social circle—one they can depend on for years to come! These relationships will play a positive role in their relationship with Jesus, too!

What do my kids do?

Here are some common suggestions. Try different approaches until you find the one that works best for your group. Here's a list of suggestions and links to more information from other churches.

Every family for themselves—find childcare on your own
Every family together—hire a responsible teen or two to watch your kids each week in one room while the rest of the group meets in another room.
Childcare Rotation—two people sit out each session to watch the kids in another room. Two males or two females at a time, making sure there's a representative from each couple in the group session every week.
Older kids? Allow them to watch a movie while you meet. (Use an old baby monitor for extra peace of mind.)
Infants/Babies/Young Toddlers — allow them to stay with the group and step out briefly if they need attention.
Recruit people from church who aren't in your group to watch the kids.
Include kids when possible. Not every session will be appropriate or engaging for kids. From time to time, invite the kids to learn alongside you and see what the adults do each week.
Family Nights—whether a special occasion or regularly scheduled meeting night, have dinner together, play a game, let the kids interact while parents socialize. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to enjoy time all together every now and then.