What do you do when you're trying your hardest to concentrate on what you're doing but a (persistent) distraction seems bent on foiling that plan. If you're at home, you'd probably find a quieter, cozier nook to continue your disrupted activity. If you're in a library, it would probably be wiser to do the same. In a movie theater, hushing the source of such disturbance is quite appropriate. But what if you're inside a full-packed church, in the middle of Sunday mass and the cause of your grief is a naughty and annoying little ~~demon~~ child? Surely, you cannot stand up and walk away. That would attract attention. You cannot hush her either for she's just an innocent little child. Well, the best thing that you can probably do is
just pray. That's what happened to me last Sunday and that was what I did. I prayed very hard for patience, and a crying room.

I was seated in my usual place, somewhere towards the center of the church, aisle seat of course, and near a perfectly working fan to ward off the heat and humidity. I always choose this spot if I happen to arrive early for mass and have the luxury of choice - not too near the altar for fear that the priest may engage in some sort of audience participation at some point in the service and I would (unfortunately) be called upon to join in. Sitting at the back is a no-no as well for that's where the parents with noisy kids are usually seated.

As the service was about to begin, a couple with two small kids (toddlers) and a nanny occupied the bench in front of me. Oh no, I thought, my sanctuary has been invaded. I was preparing myself to be distracted during the service. Surprisingly, the children were well behaved. They kept quiet through the first half of the service, content with playing with a small stuffed animal the nanny had brought. The little boy even fell asleep. However, just as the priest was finishing his homily, the little girl started acting up. Her attempts to play with her mom's cell denied, she threw a fit. She cried and yelled her lungs out to the dismay of everyone seated around her, myself included. At one point, the cute little girl of a few minutes ago, even threw her stuffed pig in frustration, hitting a lady seated next to me. And to top it all, her little brother awoke joining her in a chorus of noise that echoed inside the church.

I was shaking my head in disbelief. My mass has been ruined, and I'm sure those seated near me felt the same. Their facial expressions couldn't hide how they felt. But what's so surprising about all this was how the kids' parents handled the situation, or rather, how they mishandled it. They acted as if nothing was happening. They just sat there as their two kids were crying their hearts out. Many of us were waiting for one of them, or at least the nanny, to take the children out and leave everyone in peace to hear the mass. But they didn't. It was not until a lady from the back of the church, probably a relative, arrived and took the crying kids out. At last, peace. You could virtually hear a chorus of sighs as the children's cries faded. And what about their parents? They just sat there, unmoving, seemingly unaffected by all the racket their kids caused. Could they be wearing earplugs? He he. Just a thought.

I could help but wish there was a crying room in our church. He he. What's a crying room, some of you may ask. Well, it's a sound-proof enclosure where children can be taken so that they won't disturb the rest of us because of their noise, and cries. Usually found in movie theaters abroad, I've read that some churches also have them. In the Philippines, I read in a blog a few weeks ago that the church in one of the country's biggest malls, SM Megamall, has a crying room - probably the first in the country. All churches should eventually have one, the bigger ones at least. Crying kids can be annoying. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate kids. I love them, in fact - cute and cuddly and innocent as they are (and they smell so good , too). However, a crying child in church is a no-no.

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weekend misadventure: desperately seeking a crying room

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