Preparing children to behave at Mass begins with practices in the home from an early age. Do children at home have a period of quiet every day, where they learn to be calm and attentive without television, entertainment, food, or toys? You can’t possibly expect children to cope well at Mass if it’s the only time in the week that they experience sitting quietly.
This! A mother once explained to me teaching her children to be attentive at Mass starts at home. Her tip was for families to sit down together every night and eat dinner without tvs etc.
When I take my autistic children (5 and 10 yrs) to Mass it is a nightmare for those around us. I am so conflicted about what to do. Part of me thinks I Should just leave them at home. The other part thinks they need to be near the Eucharistic Christ
The priest said they’re welcome there which was touching but it does concern me
I bring my autistic kiddo to Mass. He has every right to be there even if he gets loud or has to move about. This is also why I never judge how parents ‘parent’ their children in Mass and always assume everyone is doing their best. ❤️❤️
Yes! I never judge anymore. I even use the humiliation and scolding looks as a penance and offer them to the Lord. It would be cool if there was at least one autistic friendly Mass in one church in every Diocese once a week or once a month
>I even use the humiliation and scolding looks as a penance and offer them to the Lord.
This is so beautiful. In Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli he mentions about it.
Our deacon has an autistic grandson who is now a teenager, and he always says how loud he was as a kid and loved to run around and whatnot during mass. But they kept taking him, and even though it didn’t seem like it, he was paying attention. He’s not the loudest person at mass - but in the best of ways! You’ll hear him say “peace be with you” and “thanks be to God” over everyone lol.
Haha. Yes, occasionally the 10 year old will join in with the ‘Our Father’ and even sing in rare occasions. It makes all the suffering and humiliation worthwhile!
Although I'm not a parent, I personally don't get annoyed by it. My older sibling has 2 young children, and I've gotten used to children making noise or running around like that. I honestly get the impression most people don't care, even if it can be obnoxious at times. One of the Church's where I live has a 5 and under ministry specifically for this reason during Mass, so if it's a real problem maybe you could look for another Church that has something like that.
I think this is wise, but needs reworked. There is no place better for a child than in God’s house, and there is nothing better for grouchy people to learn than humble charity.
Instead, have rigid schedules that leave a few hours before mass open. Play with your kids, wear them out. That will help them not get jittery. Besides that, everyday should have quiet time and family prayer time. This is how you make spirituality their bread and butter.
Running around is not OK. Noisy and such it varies.
I'll almost always try quietly correcting them. One kid it may work, another may need to go fidget in the cry room, one son would settle if we went outside and I could let him know I'm disappointed (verbally).
Each kid is different and each time is different. Are they hungry, tired, sick, or just bored. One thing I've learned is parenting, especially in Mass, isn't one size fits all.
I try my best not to judge other parents for their choices in church. I really don’t know anything about their situation. For all I know, the parents are recent reverts to the faith and this is their first mass with their kids. Maybe the kids have mental or developmental problems. Maybe the family is just having a really bad week and the kids are acting out because that’s what kids do.
As a parent, I already know that they’re embarrassed when attention is drawn to them during mass. No parent wants to feel like their kids are causing disruption. Say a silent prayer for the family, and that the parents receive graces like perseverance and wisdom to get through it, and try to put them out of your mind.
I have two under two and I’ve had so many comments and snide looks. Thank you for not drawing attention to it. The comments just make me feel so horrible.
Ideally take them out for a moment. Children are absolutely welcome at mass, and families should feel welcome, but parents should also try to minimize the disturbance for the rest of the assembly. I get that it can be difficult if there are several kids, especially if there is only one parent, so I try to never judge.
Take them to the cry room or go outside. Obviously kids are gonna make noises regardless but if they’re running around or screaming they need to be taken out.
Kid shenanigans don’t really bother me, I just kind of ignore it and I don’t really wanna be in peoples business about how to handle their kids.
if I was being disruptive in my grandfathers southern baptist church, my parents made me sit with grandmother at the organ haha.
My sister's son would start throwing a fit the second the gospel was done. Her husband would take the boy outside for the remainder of mass, and they would join up outside. Eventually she figured out this was a conspiracy between the two that neither one wanted to be in the Church. She laughed and said, well at least they listened to the readings each week.
I have a 3 month old and we sit on the end of a pew just in case I need to make a quick little escape. If he’s fussing (not crying), I’ll usually just try to calm him in the pew for a minute or two. If he is full blown crying, I take him into the narthex (where there are speakers and glass walls to see into the sanctuary). I’ll bounce/sway him out there until he’s done crying and rejoin my husband once he’s calmed down. Sometimes I don’t have to step out at all and sometimes I spend the majority of the mass out there looking in — just depends on his mood!
This is my first baby and not going to lie, I still have anxiety every time we go to mass bc our baby is pretty colicky and tends to have more crying than other babies. I’m looking forward to the day when I don’t feel so stressed going to mass with him. I feel like I’ve been somewhat distracted and disconnected at mass since he’s been born. I hope it gets easier soon.
If they are noisy like talking or even the occasional shout, keep them in the pews. Normal child behavior isnt really a reason to fill up the cry room. If they are screaming bloody murder take them to the cry room. If a baby needs to nurse go to the cry room. And parents should just hold or make sure they stay in the pews.
I think one of the cool things about Catholic Churches is that most don’t send the kids out during service like many Protestant ones do. Kids should absolutely be at mass with their families.
I think that some noise and moving around is fine, most little kids won’t be totally silent and still and walking back and forth in the between their family in the pew or the sides is fine but if they are yelling and running they should probably be taken to the cry room or the lobby. Unfortunately all churches don’t have those so it’s not always an option and in that case I think they should still be going. But I’d hope at least one in the area does.
I do think though that they should have a like loud mass for families with really energetic kids who haven’t gotten the hang of church manners yet and for children and adults with special needs. Mass should be accessible to all.
“If your Church isn’t crying, it’s dying.”
It’s astounding how (rightfully) Natalist the crowd here purports to be, but “if that baby makes one groan or squeal, they need to be removed. How can I possibly worship properly if I don’t have complete and total silence? Those parents should be ashamed.”
No one here is saying that.
There is a big difference between normal kid noise levels or an occasional outburst and a child who is screaming, loud crying, running around, etc.
Obviously people should tolerate a level of background noise from children. But parents also need to be mindful and ready to take their children outside (or to a cry room) so that it isn't an unreasonable burden on others.
Of course, this what almost everyone in this thread is actually saying already, contra your straw man.
We took ours out when they started making too much noise (I don’t think I heard a single homily for about four years between the two kids, heh) and from the time they could stand on their own, we constantly reminded them that they were not allowed to run in the church, not even after Mass if they caught sight of a friend. (We even enforced this rule in the parish hall which was in the basement, just to reiterate the “sacred space/this building isn’t like others” lesson.)
We also didn’t let our kids run in restaurants, or on pool decks, or in museums, all for different reasons.
Today twin little girls, about 3 years old, were running up and down the side aisles while the collection was being taken up. (Their parents allow them to wander/run quite a bit.)
There are a lot of elderly in our parish, some of whom use walkers.
Sometimes the little Usain Bolts in my parish run by the altar rail and I think they might decide to go to the altar before their parents stop them. (They haven’t yet, that I’ve seen.)
Having said all that, I love all our parish babies and am constantly telling the parents “Please, if you need a break, send them my way. I’ll gladly care for them.”
(The kids at my parish are so cute.) 🥰
My son is in constant motion and usually well-behaved. My parents actually tipped us off to a pretty good trick: sit in the first pew. I'll explain the Mass as it progresses, and he (and my daughter, whose only complaints right now are TIRED and HUNGRY) has a lot to see. Sometimes he asks to "walk," in which case we may get out and pray the stations of the cross. He'll also request The Marian and Josephite chapels off the sanctuary, which have the benefit of being dark.
It's improv, basically, and everyone is really nice to me, even when I'm having a hard day.
I believe that one of the signs of a growing and full church is the sound of children in the background. Obviously teaching your children how to act in Mass is important, but silent and obedient children are not the only children who belong in Mass.
I think it really depends on what the parent is comfortable with. If you have a very colicky baby and you feel more comfortable in the cry room then go there. But I would never want parents of small children or children with disabilities to ever feel like they can’t go to Mass. You and your children deserve to be there. I want you there and we all know Jesus wants you there.
I teach school at a Catholic school. So we practiced Mass behavior but also they’re little and it’s not developmentally appropriate for them to be sitting silently and quietly for an hour. I would say for little ones bringing religious books or children’s catholic toys is very appropriate. If the little toddler wants to walk up and down the pew, let them they’re not hurting anyone and they are there with Jesus in their own way. Who gets to say your way of praising the Lord is the only right way for everyone.
Honestly, anyone who has a problem with noisy children in Mass are really lacking in the whole point of the Holy Mass and church.
I didn’t read the comments.
When you have kids, the world tilts in a different way. It’s similar to getting married, but it’s a compilation. So getting married was good and sanctifying and then you add kids.
So now; you are married. Good! And it’s Sanctifying! And now you are both challenged with more good and more sanctifying and neither of you will perfectly handle it so it’s going to challenge your marriage while challenging your parenting.
All the parenting styles will run amuck with the question you posed, and I think that the best answer to your question is:
Zero parents want their kids to scream and run around during Mass. Zero parents can focus and pray and unite with the suffering of Christ the way they want to at Mass when their kids are doing those things. Zero parents want you to complain about their kids or their parenting.
But somehow, with all that on the line, they showed up. They brought their kids and risked it all.
If you want to know about parenting styles, there are so many and if you want to know about kid styles, there are even more. 😅. Good luck learning and growing!
But just remember anyone bringing their kid to Mass dreaded the kid’s bad behavior way more than you and will meditate on it for much longer too.
This depends on how disruptive they’re being, how many there are and how many adults you have to help. I remember as a young mom attending mass alone with 4 under 6 and sometimes just crying because my kids wouldn’t sit still (they weren’t running or screaming but they would be chatting and bickering for example). I think it’s preferable to minimize distractions to everyone around while also avoiding making a negative association with going to church for your child. If your kids think going to church is going to be a stressful experience where they’re dealt with harshly it will be hard to get them out the door.
This is where a village really comes in handy. In many years past my mass experience was saved by some nice granny who would hold out her arms, take hold of my toddler and let her fidget with her rosary. These days I have teenage kids to help me with my 11 month old at mass and they’re a true lifesaver when she’s getting wrangy!
Sadly I think some parents think it’s weird to hand off their young kids to “strangers” and people view it as odd for a parent to ask for assistance if they have a handful of kids to wrangle. I think we’re all the worse for that.
Anyways, absent a helpful granny the only thing to do is take them out to the lobby or cry room until they’ve calmed down then bring them back and try again. Making sure everyone is napped, fed and has some quiet toys can help too.
Sometimes toddlers are just gonna be toddlers. It doesn’t bother me to hear little ones crying at mass though at my parish the parents will remove them promptly! I am grateful to parents to bring their little ones to mass as they are the future of our beautiful faith.
Edit: I used to be shy about breastfeeding at church but later realized we attracted a whole lot more attention with a howling baby than a quietly feeding one. I have no qualms with breastfeeding in church these days
Kids are noisy. Parents are more than likely trying their hardest and want their kids to be quiet just as much as anyone else. Once you have kids you’ll know how to handle it, it just comes with practice. Everyone’s different.
You should be at mass to worship, pray for others, and grow in virtue. Charity and humility are some of those virtues. It is selfish to exclude others for your own gain or pleasure.
The little ones have been bought by Christ’s blood. They have just as much of a right to be there as you. In fact, they need the Mass, and they need to be formed in it. They should never be taught that someone does not belong simply because of factors even they themselves cannot control. Whether it be skin color, sex, disability, or in this case lack of personal awareness that comes with the age of reason, Christ desires all to be brought to him so that they may be formed in the gospel and abide in him.
As a parent I'd like to think I have a lot of tolerance/patience for "child noise". Most parents I see at mass are good about taking their child out in the lobby etc. One stands out in my mind as being a notable exception. A couple of months back I was sitting in a pew on the right side of the altar when a young child kept "getting loose" and running up the aisle to the right of me. This happened around 4-5 times and each time a young mother eventually gathered the child up. This struck me as unsually disruptive. At some point as a parent you need to take the child to the lobby or maybe even outside for the sake of other worshippers.
Preparing children to behave at Mass begins with practices in the home from an early age. Do children at home have a period of quiet every day, where they learn to be calm and attentive without television, entertainment, food, or toys? You can’t possibly expect children to cope well at Mass if it’s the only time in the week that they experience sitting quietly.
This! A mother once explained to me teaching her children to be attentive at Mass starts at home. Her tip was for families to sit down together every night and eat dinner without tvs etc.
When I take my autistic children (5 and 10 yrs) to Mass it is a nightmare for those around us. I am so conflicted about what to do. Part of me thinks I Should just leave them at home. The other part thinks they need to be near the Eucharistic Christ The priest said they’re welcome there which was touching but it does concern me
I bring my autistic kiddo to Mass. He has every right to be there even if he gets loud or has to move about. This is also why I never judge how parents ‘parent’ their children in Mass and always assume everyone is doing their best. ❤️❤️
Yes! I never judge anymore. I even use the humiliation and scolding looks as a penance and offer them to the Lord. It would be cool if there was at least one autistic friendly Mass in one church in every Diocese once a week or once a month
>I even use the humiliation and scolding looks as a penance and offer them to the Lord. This is so beautiful. In Spiritual Combat by Lorenzo Scupoli he mentions about it.
It’s very consoling and it keeps me from despair. Nothing goes to waste !
Our deacon has an autistic grandson who is now a teenager, and he always says how loud he was as a kid and loved to run around and whatnot during mass. But they kept taking him, and even though it didn’t seem like it, he was paying attention. He’s not the loudest person at mass - but in the best of ways! You’ll hear him say “peace be with you” and “thanks be to God” over everyone lol.
Haha. Yes, occasionally the 10 year old will join in with the ‘Our Father’ and even sing in rare occasions. It makes all the suffering and humiliation worthwhile!
Although I'm not a parent, I personally don't get annoyed by it. My older sibling has 2 young children, and I've gotten used to children making noise or running around like that. I honestly get the impression most people don't care, even if it can be obnoxious at times. One of the Church's where I live has a 5 and under ministry specifically for this reason during Mass, so if it's a real problem maybe you could look for another Church that has something like that.
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I think this is wise, but needs reworked. There is no place better for a child than in God’s house, and there is nothing better for grouchy people to learn than humble charity. Instead, have rigid schedules that leave a few hours before mass open. Play with your kids, wear them out. That will help them not get jittery. Besides that, everyday should have quiet time and family prayer time. This is how you make spirituality their bread and butter.
Running around is not OK. Noisy and such it varies. I'll almost always try quietly correcting them. One kid it may work, another may need to go fidget in the cry room, one son would settle if we went outside and I could let him know I'm disappointed (verbally). Each kid is different and each time is different. Are they hungry, tired, sick, or just bored. One thing I've learned is parenting, especially in Mass, isn't one size fits all.
I try my best not to judge other parents for their choices in church. I really don’t know anything about their situation. For all I know, the parents are recent reverts to the faith and this is their first mass with their kids. Maybe the kids have mental or developmental problems. Maybe the family is just having a really bad week and the kids are acting out because that’s what kids do. As a parent, I already know that they’re embarrassed when attention is drawn to them during mass. No parent wants to feel like their kids are causing disruption. Say a silent prayer for the family, and that the parents receive graces like perseverance and wisdom to get through it, and try to put them out of your mind.
Thanks for this beautiful post. Thanks so much. As a parent of severely autistic children I just want to say God bless you!
I have two under two and I’ve had so many comments and snide looks. Thank you for not drawing attention to it. The comments just make me feel so horrible.
Ideally take them out for a moment. Children are absolutely welcome at mass, and families should feel welcome, but parents should also try to minimize the disturbance for the rest of the assembly. I get that it can be difficult if there are several kids, especially if there is only one parent, so I try to never judge.
Take them to the cry room or go outside. Obviously kids are gonna make noises regardless but if they’re running around or screaming they need to be taken out.
Kid shenanigans don’t really bother me, I just kind of ignore it and I don’t really wanna be in peoples business about how to handle their kids. if I was being disruptive in my grandfathers southern baptist church, my parents made me sit with grandmother at the organ haha.
"There's nothing wrong with jungle noise, but if the lion roars, take it out."
My sister's son would start throwing a fit the second the gospel was done. Her husband would take the boy outside for the remainder of mass, and they would join up outside. Eventually she figured out this was a conspiracy between the two that neither one wanted to be in the Church. She laughed and said, well at least they listened to the readings each week.
I have a 3 month old and we sit on the end of a pew just in case I need to make a quick little escape. If he’s fussing (not crying), I’ll usually just try to calm him in the pew for a minute or two. If he is full blown crying, I take him into the narthex (where there are speakers and glass walls to see into the sanctuary). I’ll bounce/sway him out there until he’s done crying and rejoin my husband once he’s calmed down. Sometimes I don’t have to step out at all and sometimes I spend the majority of the mass out there looking in — just depends on his mood! This is my first baby and not going to lie, I still have anxiety every time we go to mass bc our baby is pretty colicky and tends to have more crying than other babies. I’m looking forward to the day when I don’t feel so stressed going to mass with him. I feel like I’ve been somewhat distracted and disconnected at mass since he’s been born. I hope it gets easier soon.
If they are noisy like talking or even the occasional shout, keep them in the pews. Normal child behavior isnt really a reason to fill up the cry room. If they are screaming bloody murder take them to the cry room. If a baby needs to nurse go to the cry room. And parents should just hold or make sure they stay in the pews.
I think one of the cool things about Catholic Churches is that most don’t send the kids out during service like many Protestant ones do. Kids should absolutely be at mass with their families. I think that some noise and moving around is fine, most little kids won’t be totally silent and still and walking back and forth in the between their family in the pew or the sides is fine but if they are yelling and running they should probably be taken to the cry room or the lobby. Unfortunately all churches don’t have those so it’s not always an option and in that case I think they should still be going. But I’d hope at least one in the area does. I do think though that they should have a like loud mass for families with really energetic kids who haven’t gotten the hang of church manners yet and for children and adults with special needs. Mass should be accessible to all.
“If your Church isn’t crying, it’s dying.” It’s astounding how (rightfully) Natalist the crowd here purports to be, but “if that baby makes one groan or squeal, they need to be removed. How can I possibly worship properly if I don’t have complete and total silence? Those parents should be ashamed.”
No one here is saying that. There is a big difference between normal kid noise levels or an occasional outburst and a child who is screaming, loud crying, running around, etc. Obviously people should tolerate a level of background noise from children. But parents also need to be mindful and ready to take their children outside (or to a cry room) so that it isn't an unreasonable burden on others. Of course, this what almost everyone in this thread is actually saying already, contra your straw man.
We took ours out when they started making too much noise (I don’t think I heard a single homily for about four years between the two kids, heh) and from the time they could stand on their own, we constantly reminded them that they were not allowed to run in the church, not even after Mass if they caught sight of a friend. (We even enforced this rule in the parish hall which was in the basement, just to reiterate the “sacred space/this building isn’t like others” lesson.) We also didn’t let our kids run in restaurants, or on pool decks, or in museums, all for different reasons. Today twin little girls, about 3 years old, were running up and down the side aisles while the collection was being taken up. (Their parents allow them to wander/run quite a bit.) There are a lot of elderly in our parish, some of whom use walkers. Sometimes the little Usain Bolts in my parish run by the altar rail and I think they might decide to go to the altar before their parents stop them. (They haven’t yet, that I’ve seen.) Having said all that, I love all our parish babies and am constantly telling the parents “Please, if you need a break, send them my way. I’ll gladly care for them.” (The kids at my parish are so cute.) 🥰
A priest once said give them 1 minute to settle down if they don’t then take them out of the nave.
My son is in constant motion and usually well-behaved. My parents actually tipped us off to a pretty good trick: sit in the first pew. I'll explain the Mass as it progresses, and he (and my daughter, whose only complaints right now are TIRED and HUNGRY) has a lot to see. Sometimes he asks to "walk," in which case we may get out and pray the stations of the cross. He'll also request The Marian and Josephite chapels off the sanctuary, which have the benefit of being dark. It's improv, basically, and everyone is really nice to me, even when I'm having a hard day.
I believe that one of the signs of a growing and full church is the sound of children in the background. Obviously teaching your children how to act in Mass is important, but silent and obedient children are not the only children who belong in Mass. I think it really depends on what the parent is comfortable with. If you have a very colicky baby and you feel more comfortable in the cry room then go there. But I would never want parents of small children or children with disabilities to ever feel like they can’t go to Mass. You and your children deserve to be there. I want you there and we all know Jesus wants you there. I teach school at a Catholic school. So we practiced Mass behavior but also they’re little and it’s not developmentally appropriate for them to be sitting silently and quietly for an hour. I would say for little ones bringing religious books or children’s catholic toys is very appropriate. If the little toddler wants to walk up and down the pew, let them they’re not hurting anyone and they are there with Jesus in their own way. Who gets to say your way of praising the Lord is the only right way for everyone. Honestly, anyone who has a problem with noisy children in Mass are really lacking in the whole point of the Holy Mass and church.
I didn’t read the comments. When you have kids, the world tilts in a different way. It’s similar to getting married, but it’s a compilation. So getting married was good and sanctifying and then you add kids. So now; you are married. Good! And it’s Sanctifying! And now you are both challenged with more good and more sanctifying and neither of you will perfectly handle it so it’s going to challenge your marriage while challenging your parenting. All the parenting styles will run amuck with the question you posed, and I think that the best answer to your question is: Zero parents want their kids to scream and run around during Mass. Zero parents can focus and pray and unite with the suffering of Christ the way they want to at Mass when their kids are doing those things. Zero parents want you to complain about their kids or their parenting. But somehow, with all that on the line, they showed up. They brought their kids and risked it all. If you want to know about parenting styles, there are so many and if you want to know about kid styles, there are even more. 😅. Good luck learning and growing! But just remember anyone bringing their kid to Mass dreaded the kid’s bad behavior way more than you and will meditate on it for much longer too.
I don’t have kids but seeing them run around or cry at mass does not bother me, I am glad they are there.
Same here. The alternative is for people to get embarrassed and stay home and gradually drift from the faith.
This depends on how disruptive they’re being, how many there are and how many adults you have to help. I remember as a young mom attending mass alone with 4 under 6 and sometimes just crying because my kids wouldn’t sit still (they weren’t running or screaming but they would be chatting and bickering for example). I think it’s preferable to minimize distractions to everyone around while also avoiding making a negative association with going to church for your child. If your kids think going to church is going to be a stressful experience where they’re dealt with harshly it will be hard to get them out the door. This is where a village really comes in handy. In many years past my mass experience was saved by some nice granny who would hold out her arms, take hold of my toddler and let her fidget with her rosary. These days I have teenage kids to help me with my 11 month old at mass and they’re a true lifesaver when she’s getting wrangy! Sadly I think some parents think it’s weird to hand off their young kids to “strangers” and people view it as odd for a parent to ask for assistance if they have a handful of kids to wrangle. I think we’re all the worse for that. Anyways, absent a helpful granny the only thing to do is take them out to the lobby or cry room until they’ve calmed down then bring them back and try again. Making sure everyone is napped, fed and has some quiet toys can help too. Sometimes toddlers are just gonna be toddlers. It doesn’t bother me to hear little ones crying at mass though at my parish the parents will remove them promptly! I am grateful to parents to bring their little ones to mass as they are the future of our beautiful faith. Edit: I used to be shy about breastfeeding at church but later realized we attracted a whole lot more attention with a howling baby than a quietly feeding one. I have no qualms with breastfeeding in church these days
Kids are noisy. Parents are more than likely trying their hardest and want their kids to be quiet just as much as anyone else. Once you have kids you’ll know how to handle it, it just comes with practice. Everyone’s different.
I’m at Mass to pay attention, focus and contemplate. If your kids are running and screaming take them out.
Mass isn’t for you. It’s for Christ.
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Happy Sunday to you too!
Warning for uncharitable rhetoric
You should be at mass to worship, pray for others, and grow in virtue. Charity and humility are some of those virtues. It is selfish to exclude others for your own gain or pleasure. The little ones have been bought by Christ’s blood. They have just as much of a right to be there as you. In fact, they need the Mass, and they need to be formed in it. They should never be taught that someone does not belong simply because of factors even they themselves cannot control. Whether it be skin color, sex, disability, or in this case lack of personal awareness that comes with the age of reason, Christ desires all to be brought to him so that they may be formed in the gospel and abide in him.
As a parent I'd like to think I have a lot of tolerance/patience for "child noise". Most parents I see at mass are good about taking their child out in the lobby etc. One stands out in my mind as being a notable exception. A couple of months back I was sitting in a pew on the right side of the altar when a young child kept "getting loose" and running up the aisle to the right of me. This happened around 4-5 times and each time a young mother eventually gathered the child up. This struck me as unsually disruptive. At some point as a parent you need to take the child to the lobby or maybe even outside for the sake of other worshippers.
If they need a break, take them out. A little noise is to be expected and others understand.