Children in our congregation are welcome and encouraged to be in worship with their families.  Children learn to worship BY WORSHIPPING.  There are opportunities to serve for even the youngest preschoolers, by carrying the paten for the pastor during communion.  We have a bell in the steeple.  children clamor to ring it after worship.

The nature of traditional Lutheran worship involves so much stand up, sit down, kneel (in some churches) that things are change fast enough for young worshippers, except during the sermon.  A few coloring books and crayons or other quiet toys can keep children occupied for 15 minutes of sermon.  Contempory worship offers even more drama and excitement, in most congregations.

 Children are of course not perfectly behaved.  Babies wail at times.  Older children act out, sometimes.  Everyone has a bad day - old and young, alike!  As a community, a congregation of worshippers should raise children to be part of the worshipping community.  I do not like the idea of a separate children's church, because it removes children from the important family involvement of worship and faith development.

 I am a single parent with two young sons.  I have been a single parent since my younger son was born, so it's pretty much the only worship as a parent experience I have.  I find that sitting pretty much below the pulpit and letting my sons sit in the row in front of me and build, play and color during the sermon, and worship during the rest of the service keeps them more than happy.  It works, it's worshipful and if the older generation wants to pass on the faith, they should be actively involved with involving children in worship and a community of faith.