On the VBS note, I tried to take my daughter this year and want to meet the people etc. She is so used to going everywhere in church with me or dad and being a little shy of new things and new people, she refused to stay. But I was also the only mom in her assigned group who was there with their four year old sitting and checking it out. When she skipped out the door after crying, I realized it wasn’t happening? So much for that trip to Target. Actually it turned into a good week.

And yes, you are right. We live in a drop-and-go society. What parent in her right mind would stay with her kids rather than enjoy 3 hours of shopping at Target?

Grace, okay, I sure feel as big as an ant for complaining about the particulars of VBS here when you can’t even locate a small church in Dubai!! Fellowship with other believers is so important to a life of faith and I really hope you find that. For right now for your daughter, you and your husband can (and this is the best) give her a Christian education in your own home, just through simple things like teaching her Bible stories, praying with her, talking about God as you go about your day.

Crimson Wife, thanks!! I’ll be reading that article – I love the idea of Family Faith Formation. THAT is what my problem is with Sunday School, VBS, or any other Christian educational format – the discongruence between church and home, parent and child… Parents end up feeling like the VBS or Sunday School is doing the job, so they often don’t follow through, and the child ends up feeling like spiritual matters are in a separate compartment from the rest of life.

I think it’s an excellent idea for churches of any denomination!

My difficulty was at the other end, really. I would have loved to help out with VBS again this year. I think it would have been interesting to do this as a family…but what to do with the baby. All four of my children in a separate room, one of whom is nursing, and mom in yet another place teaching? I’m not creative enough to come up with a good alternative, but it seemed a little off.

Have you heard of the five day clubs? I haven’t been involved directly, but they sound interesting. I think it involves getting some families together in the neighborhood to do a five day things sort of like VBS, but on a smaller scale, and kids from the neighborhood come. That seems more conducive to building families and communities.

But I don’t know. I’ve only heard of them, never been involved.

This is atypical, I know, but it accurately reflects the attitude at this particular church (and it’ s not my home fellowship, so this isn’t a mindless plug) toward family and children.