For some pastors’ kids (PKs), Sunday morning is like walking the green mile, step by agonizing step closer to imminent doom. For others it’s mostly great with a side of frustration and annoyance. For most of my upbringing, I was in the second camp and occasionally slid into the first. What follows are seven suggestions for any PK that (as I learned, some at great expense) can help make Sunday mornings better.

• Tuck your shirt in when mom tells you to. No, it doesn’t make you holier, but it does avoid a stupid fight. And you can just untuck it when you get to Sunday school anyhow.

• If you haven’t already, take up coffee drinking. Start at home and keep it going all through church. There is no grief like the grief a PK takes for falling asleep in church.

• Hit the donuts. A PK can’t afford to be low-carb or sugar free. Gluten free just won’t hack it. Donuts bring happiness and keep your mouth full so you can politely decline to answer the nosy questions some church members will fire at you.

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