VBS: Pros & Cons

We spent our second (of three) week at vacation bible school this week. By we, I mean Saylah and Audrey. They loved it!

I’ll admit 3 years ago when my mommy posse asked me what VBS we were going to attend that summer … I was clueless. What on earth does VBS stand for? Growing up I had never been to a vacation bible school and I had no clue what to expect.

So, like a lot of other avenues that have enriched my walk with God, I must confess – I signed Saylah up for her first VBS because: 1. it sounded like a good idea; 2. it sounded trustworthy because my friends had experienced it before; and 3. well … um … it was free childcare for three hours one week during the long long summer.

If you’re a VBSer, you know you’ve thought it too. ;)

Whatever the initial motivation, I am so glad I began my kids on this summer regime. The first year I’ve never seen Saylah so pumped! She absolutely loved it and so did I! One of the best summer choices I’ve made for my kiddos.

 

This week’s particular VBS was at Mosaic church in Oakland, Florida. Mosaic’s VBS is by far my favorite one. They volunteers and staff are SO organized, they incorporate older kids to serve as teachers alongside grown ups, and the kids have SO MUCH FUN! Plus, since we’ve been going there for the last few summers, it’s like a little mommy summer reunion every morning!

With three planned for the summer, I am pondering on if that’s a little overkill. And I do admit I was desperate for a little free enrichment where I could write whilst the youngest naps every morning. =) Plus the kids get to hang with friends they don’t see everyday, making it a win-win for everyone I’m sure.

Although all three are at different churches, if you’re a pro at this like me, you know that there aren’t very many different themes put out for VBS curriculum each summer. This results in repeat VBSing. For us that happened week one at HighPoint church in Ocoee and week two at Mosaic. The Sky VBS is focused on the central message of “Trust God.”

This simple message is awesome for us all and it is also what inspired me to write this post:

Here are my pros and cons of doing VBS three times in one summer.

Pro: Three weeks of worshiping, learning about, and focusing on God through a trusted church is always awesome.

Con: Three weeks of having to listen to the same VBS songs over and over again can be a little mind-maddening. 

Pro: Three weeks of great people loving on your kids and the potential to get new possible babysitters is heart-warming and efficient. 

Con: Three weeks of accumulating the little crafts and trinkets that are sent home each day that the kids feel they MUST keep forever creates a need for Mommy to put on her Mission Impossible, creative disposal hat.

Pro: VBS teaches the kids about others in need. My kids were inspired to help kids by buying mosquito nets, pray for the people in Kenya, and thank God that He made everyone different.

Con: Coming home to Saylah playing make believe that she lives out of her car and Audrey needs to bring her food is sweet, yes, but also a slight bit unsettling. =)

Pro: It’s also a summer reunion for the kids. Saylah saw kids from preschool, kindergarten, her church and friends from other churches, along with kids who were part of last year’s VBS that she remembers. Audrey’s class was made up of: her BFF from her preschool class, her two lifetime BFFs, the little brother of Saylah’s BFF and her.

Con: I felt compelled to actually get dressed and fix my hair and makeup most mornings because I too was going to run into everyone I know.

Pro: They learned to trust God and what that means. This is invaluable to their lives and a great reminder for grown ups too.

Con: Today when Saylah “had” to jump off her top bunk she told me (quite proudly), “Mommy, I had to trust God!” (Yes, that’s right folks, she decided to trust God as she catapulted herself from 5 feet up in an attempt to dodge siblings, dressers and whatever else was scattered below. There isn’t much to say to your child at this point. “Good job Honey.” “Glad you trusted God.” “Can we still not jump off our top bunk though?”)

All in all, I am so thankful for Vacation Bible School and grateful for the men, women and teens who serve our children, pouring in faith, love and the fun of God into their little lives.

If you’re in Orlando and still looking for a good VBS, check out www.Zradio.org for a listing. We’ve got just one more and thankfully it’s a different theme and much later in the summer. Until then, I’m well on my way to learning all the hand motions to “You, You, You”.