Shabbos All Week
Shabbos shouldn’t just be the day that comes at the end of the week when we crash, but the highlight that the whole week is leading up to. With this in mind, if we start preparing for Shabbos not on erev Shabbos, but the week before, by the time Shabbos actually comes, we’ll excited and ready to welcome her.
- All through the week, every time we pick up something good to eat, put it aside for Shabbos. Rebbetzin Weinberg even suggests having a special Shabbos cabinet where you save all the special goodies for Shabbos — and keep it locked!
- Decide early on in the week what you, and the whole family, will be wearing for Shabbos and make sure everything is in good order — no tears, stains, or missing buttons. Even a small, seemingly trivial thing like a stain on your Shabbos suit can put a stain on your Shabbos …
- Make something for Shabbos every day and freeze, not just to save time on Erev Shabbos but to bring an awareness of the upcoming day into every day.
- Talk to the kids about Shabbos every day, reminding them that Shabbos is getting closer and closer. They’ll look forward to Shabbos more — and so will you!
Fun and Games
“We have to think to ourselves, why should kids look forward to Shabbos? What’s in it for them? For many kids, Shabbos is when Mommy and Tatty collapse, or the house is full of guests and they get no attention, or they’re forced to sit at the table for hours.” Rebbetzin Weinberg’s statement is blunt, but sadly, often all too true. So what can we do to make Shabbos enjoyable for the children?
First, the rebbetzin suggests, brainstorm with your kids. Ask them what they would like to do on Shabbos, what would make Shabbos exciting for them. Make a list of all the doable items and try to accommodate as much as possible. Some ideas could include the following, but ultimately, whatever works for your family and kids is good:
- Special games and books saved for Shabbos. These should be put away and brought out only on Shabbos. Games that can played by the whole family can be great fun and keep everyone happy.
- Lots of goodies — favorite snacks, candies, cake. Shabbos is not the time to say no to candies; they can brush their teeth extra well on Motzaei Shabbos!
- Kids want and need our attention, so instead of burying our heads in the latest frum novel, think up some family activities. Taking a walk, after the evening meal in winter or on the long summer Shabbos afternoons, whether to the local park or a different neighborhood, gives the family a chance to interact in a relaxed way. Visiting Bubby, an elderly neighbor, or relative is not only a mitzvah, but interesting for the children too.
- Try to incorporate individual time learning with Tatty or reading a story with Mommy — special attention makes Shabbos special for a child.
“Simchah at the Shulchan”
How can you turn the Shabbos table from a battleground into a pleasant place to be?
