Double speak?

I think I'm preaching to the Choir a bit, we all know kids are gifts, right? But I am getting tired of being told my MY CHURCH kids are not welcome. You know, the looks when they make noise, the "oh, sorry, adults only" message at devotions, I can tolerate these, but today, I am mad. I was told that I could not bring my kids with me to a meeting. Now I know that kids do not belong everywhere, trust me, I leave them home ALL THE TIME. This was different, it was a 45 minute meeting and my boys brought entertainment, they actually behaved, too. I had not choice either. Well, that was two weeks ago, today my boys, were accused of defacing the church. They were the only kids who coudl have possible doen it, no other children are ever in the room. Normally, to quote Bill Crosby, there would be beatings. This time, though, I really doubt they were to blame. I was with them, watching them, and they were not being trouble, I find it hard to believe they scuffed the walls. Now before you say, sure lady, not YOUR kids, hear me out. I am the first to blame them for any mess within 100 feet. But this time, I cannot see who they could have, they just didn't have the time or opportunity. 

The bigger problem is one I've felt for years, you have to chose to be a parent or to be involved in church. From my early teens I wondered why young adults were not involved in parishes. Now I know, once you have kids, the welcome sign disappears. The irony is that this ministry is to help women in crisis pregnancies, a Pro-life ministry, yet the double message, no children welcome. Being a good faithful law abiding Catholic woman means that sometimes, YOU HAVE KIDS. When will our culture wake up and realize that? There has to be a way to be both involved in a church and a parent. Thanks for listening to my rant. Next week, Cry rooms and the Culture of Death!