Give Your Child’s Lenten Sacrifice A Focus!

Sacrifice is never easy. It's even harder when you're a kid. Here are three ways you can help your child with this traditional Lenten practice;

+ Have your children draw a picture of their Lenten sacrifice or write it down. Post it beside their bed or place it on your table. As you tuck them into bed at night or sit down at the table for supper, take a few minutes to ask each child how they are doing. Ask them if their Lenten sacrifice was hard or easy today. Spend some time talking about Jesus’ passion, and how even though it was hard, painful and tiring, he never gave up because of His love for them.

+ Encourage your child to choose someone to offer up their Lenten sacrifice for (ie: their grandma who is sick, a friend, etc). To “offer up” something is a beautiful tradition in our Catholic faith where, rather than complaining of our struggles or sufferings, we turn them into a prayer for someone else. For example: “Jesus, I would really like to eat this chocolate right now, but I offer it up as a prayer for my grandma who is sick.”

+Make sure to write their sacrifice down or post a picture of the person they will be offering their Lenten sacrifice for somewhere visible. Whenever your children want to quit or cheat on their Lenten sacrifice, remind them of who they are offering their sacrifice for. This gives their lent a focus and can help them persevere when it gets tough!

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Lent in the Home: Cards For Shut-Ins

Sometimes giving up something for the 40 days of lent is pretty challenging when you are 5 years old. Rather than lent being a painful experience, with a little creativity we can help our children love this special time in the church!

One idea is to encourage your children during this Lenten season to make cards for those of our parish who live in Extendicare facilities, Personal care homes or are sick and unable to leave their house.
Have your children make a card (or two or three. Or 40!!) and then together you can either write a little note or prayer in it, draw a picture, etc. Most importantly make sure this lent to pray for the person who will receive it!

We will have a basket at the back of the church to collect all the completed cards. Have fun sharing the love of Jesus with others this lent!

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Lent In The Home: A Lent Box

This Lent, try making a Lent Box for your family to help explain the images and symbols of Holy Week to your children!

Print off the template from Kids and Glitter, color the pictures, and glue the box together.

Place the box in a visible and accessible spot in your home and speak to your children about filling it with money to be given to  the Church or to the poor this lent.

Encourage them by placing donations of your own in the box. This is a great way to teach them generosity.

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Lent in the Home - A Lenten Skittles Jar!

This is a simple Lenten activity that your kids will love to do through lent! On Ash Wednesday set out a small mason jar for each child with their name taped to it and a big bowl of skittles (or you can use jellybeans). Identify one action to go with each color. As they complete the action they can put a skittle in their jar and are not allowed to eat them till Easter Sunday!

You can make your own actions based on the ages and needs of your children. Here is an example of what some of the colors could represent:

Red is for the blood Jesus gave for us. Each morning choose something that can be sacrificed (given up) to earn the red Skittle. It must be something that the child would have had the opportunity to have or do that day.

Green is for the palm’s cool shade. Green Skittles can be earned for good deeds.

Yellow is for God’s light so bright! Yellow Skittles can be earned by sharing God’s light through showing kindness to others.

Orange is for prayers at twilight or bedtime. Orange Skittles can be earned for attentive behavior during bedtime prayers / Bible reading.

Blue is for sweet rest at night. Blue Skittles can be earned for going to bed without fuss.

Purple is for Jesus’ days of sorrow (or His Passion). Purple Skittles can be earned by apologizing to anyone we hurt with our words or actions.

Pink is for forgiveness and each new tomorrow. Pink Skittles can be earned when we forgive those who hurt us, whether or not they apologize to us.

Lent is a great time for moms, dads and kids to discuss all the wonderful ways Jesus invites us to be more loving, and practice showing his love to others. Throughout the coming weeks we will be sharing a host of ideas to make Lent a time for growth in faith and love for you whole family.

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