Each year, Pope Francis baptizes a select number of babies–right smack dab in the center of the Sistine Chapel! These lucky newborns are the children of Vatican employees, which makes the group baptism even more intimate and special. The event, which signals the official end of the Christmas season, is a fairly straightforward one, but this year, the Pope included a very special homily that included some great advice to the doting parents in attendance.
“Excuse me, but I give you this advice: Never fight in front of your children. Never. It is normal for spouses to fight; it is normal. The opposite would be strange. Do it, but without them hearing it, so that they do not see it,” the pope said, as he spoke to the crowd in Italian. “You do not know the anguish a child experiences when he or she sees his or her parents fight.”
Easier said than done, but it’s sage guidance that certainly is hard to argue against!
After sharing his two cents, Pope Francis, aka the “Cool Pope,” also made it known in his homily that he would not be shushing any of the crying babies he would be baptizing.
“I tell you: let them be comfortable. Be careful not to cover them too much and if they cry of hunger, feed them. To the mothers I say: let the children eat. Be calm, the Lord wants it. Because they – why worry? – have a polyphonic vocation,” Pope Francis expressed. “One begins to cry and another responds, and another… and in the end, is this chorus of tears.”
What a “Cool Pope,” indeed! No matter your religious affiliation, it’s hard to deny this man’s charm–and great parenting advice. You go, Pope Francis!
We’d love to hear your thoughts on Pope Francis’ perfect parenting advice. Do you agree that parents should not fight in front of their children? Is this something that you and your partner struggle with? Do you have any parenting advice of your own that you would like to share?
Source: ABS/CBN News