Childlike Faith: Yearning for Older

If you're a parent, I'm sure you've probably had the conversation during communion where a little body next to you leans in and whispers, "I want a cracker too." It's only happened a few times with us. We quickly explain it's for grown-up Christians, knowing they're not ready for all the details yet, though we're getting closer. And they yearn to grow older so they can participate.
Lately, my son also wants to help pass the trays. The cracker one isn't quite as nerve-wrecking to allow him to handle as the juice. But often, it just takes longer for him to be allowed to hold it for that extra second or two than for my husband to hand it over him to me. And I have to remind myself to allow him those extra seconds. Because he's yearning to serve.

It's hard to be a parent, to find the line to draw, to figure out where the lines blur and allow things. Does it really matter if it takes us a couple extra seconds? No. Does it really matter if he touches the tray or not? Only on the days when his nose is runny.
Instead of being frustrated with him at wanting to help, we need to encourage him. One day, before we're ready, he'll be that grown-up Christian, walking down the aisles, serving the trays on not only our row but others. He'll be participating in the bread and the juice and remembering Jesus's death.
Are we there yet. No. But he'll be eight next month. It's a lot closer than it was.
And I want him to be ready for older. Ready to be a Christian in everything that entails. I want him to still be excited about being a part of it, and about helping and serving.
So, we take the extra few seconds most weeks and allow him to pass the tray between my husband and me or to the person at the other end of our row. And we answer questions with a few more details each time so he'll be ready when he's older.
How did you help prepare your children when they were younger? How many times did your tray get dropped as little hands fumbled to help?
It's worth it!