As you know, we gladly welcome little children to the Table here. All baptized children are welcome to partake, with this proviso. What we require is that they have the capacity to be taught what we are doing through the doing of it, and that their parents faithfully instruct them every week as they partake of the Supper.
This means that there should be on-going parental instruction on what the Supper means, what our demeanor ought to be, how they should confess any sins they need to confess prior to coming to the Table, and so forth. We are not just “letting” the children come; we are teaching them how to come. We are teaching them through the actions of the Supper, but we also want the Word to accompany the sacrament. Parents have a responsibility to make sure that the Word of instruction, the Word that must accompany the sacrament, gets down to their little level.
Children sometimes can be distracted by things like the taste of the wine, and want to hold their noses. They can be distracted by other incidental things as well. Parents, take care that your children are learning how to remember the Lord, thank the Lord, rejoice before the Lord, press covenant promises upon the Lord, and humble themselves before the Lord.
All parents who have the joy of seeing their children grow up in communion with all the saints need to remember that to whom much is given, much is required.