How can I prepare a 3 year old to be a ring bearer?

Question

My 2 year old will almost be 3 (2 weeks) at the time of my brother's wedding. He and his fiance have asked us to have my son be the ring bearer. We are honored, but a little scared that my son will throw a fit just before the ceremony or something. We are looking for tips to get him ready - we have just over 2 months to "practice".

Answer 1

practice til the day of, and bribe him with something very worth it that he'll get if he behaves. i know it sounds bad, but it's the only easy way.

Answer 2

HA! You can't!  3 y/o's have their own agenda.

Maybe the groom can keep something in his pocket and wave it to the little guy (i.e., cookie pack) to get him to come down the aisle THEN had the cookies to the ring bearer and a parent/adult to occupy him during the wedding.

AGAIN: Point #1 is "they have their own agenda"

Answer 3

Just be patient and work with him the best you can.  Have a small toy that he can practice with on the pillow so he knows not to drop the pillow.  

Make sure he gets plenty of rest beforehand and just roll with the punches.  If you want a three year old in a wedding then you deal with a three year old in a wedding.  I'm sure everything will be fine.

My son was 6 when he was in a wedding and referred to himself as the "ring burier"  It was pretty funny.

Answer 4

just be patient and calm and offer him a incentive like a cookie or candy..

Answer 5

Since he's three I would tell him, that if he does a good job he'll get a prize after it's all done. A cookie or something he really likes.

And I would pratice with him, so he knows what to do, make it into a game from him.

Answer 6

i guess i would bribe him tell him if you be a ring bearer then i will give you a little treat. then i would practice with him alot and warn him that there will alot of people and tell him not to be scared because they all really like him or something comforting like that,and maybe explain that this is a honor too.

Answer 7

"Practice" at your home - give him a little pillow to carry, put on some music, and show him how to walk down the "aisle" (your hallway or whatever). Explain to him that Uncle Bobby has a very special job for him on the big day, and that he's a big boy for doing it.

On the day of the wedding, if you or your husband is not at the back of the church with your son, make sure someone is there that he knows and who will look out for him (a cousin, an aunt, whoever). That person should tell him when to walk and say "It's your turn, just walk straight down the aisle to where Uncle Bobby is."

Sometimes ring bearers and flower girls walk by themselves, but for one so young, it might work better if they walk together - that way your son has a "buddy" and won't feel as anxious about it.

You don't have to bribe him (although it usually works), but remind him that after he walks down the aisle and Uncle Bobby has his ceremony, everyone will go to a big party, with cake!

And remind your brother that your son is three and everyone needs to be flexible. If the little guy has a meltdown right before the ceremony - and it happened at the last wedding I was in, with the flower girl - it's fine if he doesn't walk down the aisle. He can just go sit with you in the pews.

Answer 8

not much you can do, just show him what his job is, but at three, his attention span is very short, so just have fun, itll be ok

Answer 9

eek!  good luck!  Kids are so unpredictable.  Our nephew, who is usually a good kid, chose our wedding day to be a horrible little monster!  I seriously wanted to kill the kid.  Our entire wedding video is him screaming in the background.  That was why I didn't want kids at the wedding.

As far as practicing, get him to walk down the aisle on his own or with the flower girl (because mine refused to do ANYTHING).  Get him used to wearing a suit (It was half way off by the end of the ceremony...especially the shoes).  And most importantly  make sure he gets a nap BEFORE the ceremony/festivities!!!!

Answer 10

i don't know how kosher this is, but i have heard of people doing this.... kind of bribing the kiddo into behaving... i don't know if you want to do this but it's just an idea... you could "bribe" him by telling him he gets a special treat at the end if he is good and does a good job....

like i said i don't know how this works and you may not want to do that to your son, i don't know... it's just an idea...

Answer 11

Awww sweet. Maybe you could tell him it's a little play he is supposed to perform, like the actors in the theatre. You can practise at home and on the big day, he should be familiar with it. And if he makes a mistake, so what? He's a toddler. It would be more embarrassing for the best man to lose the ring. hehe.