CEREMONIES WITH CHILDREN
Involving children in a ceremony between a couple that either one or both are the parents of helps a child transition into the new relationship that they are becoming part of.
When a couple commit to one another they create a new family, so including their children into the ceremony assures each child that they are part of this new family circle.
The ceremony can be created to include a child of any age customizing the words or the ceremony itself to their level of understanding, capability and maturity.
The vows themselves can include words to include children, or specific vows can be exchanged to each child separately. If additional rituals are included in the ceremony such as the Unity Candle, Sand Ceremony or Rose Ceremony this is a perfect opportunity to include children.
If a blessing is said after the vows have been exchanged, the blessing can also be worded to include a child. Similarly, at the pronouncement, the child or children can also be included and then introduced to the family and friends present.
There are many ways to include one or several children into a ceremony and, in doing so, this creates a tighter bond between the couple and the new family they are creating.
