Marking Time

With a little one just learning the cycle of the year and the concept of time, it is very important to me that we mark time "Jewishly". One of my favorite books, Becoming a Jewish Parent by Daniel Gordis talks about this concept and touches on some ways to make it happen.

Homeschooling helps tremendously. Children, particularly young children, recognize the year by landmarks, holidays and birthdays. Right now, Froggy is learning to sing the Four Questions and what is and is not chametz. She is not looking forward to an Easter basket. She does not even know that Easter is a holiday or that it is approaching. If she were in even a secular preschool, she would. And she may even feel left out for not having it. Through out the year, the benefit of celbrating the holidays at home and in shul and limiting her exposure to other holiday celebrations has been incredibly evident.

The cycle of the week is also an important way to mark time in a Jewish manner. We make Shabbat together as a family every week whether at home or at synagogue or some combination there of. Saturday is hard though. And I see it becoming harder and harder as she grows and becomes more involved in activities. We are not in a supportive community. My husband's job requires emergency support regularly. I run a retail business for which the prime means of selling is conferences.

I would like Yom Shabbat to be a strictly family day but I cannot figure out how to make it happen. I cannot turn to my parents for help because they do not know. Growing up, Saturday was a fun day and we would frequently take day trips and do fun things and we never had to do chores on Shabbat. But we did have sports games and my mother would get called into the hospital sometimes.

I know I need to find my path now and become strong in it so that I can teach Froggy well.