It seems like just yesterday that my husband and I were packing up the Passover dishes and putting them away. Wow, time is really going by faster, I must be getting older, am I turning into my mother? Nonetheless, here we are, approaching Passover at lightning speed. I can feel it in the air. I can also feel the rise in the anxiety level of some of my friends…I can see it in the eyes of some of the PJ library parents I run into. I say, fret not, have no fear, we can tackle this Passover, Seder and all, with gusto while having a good time!I know we are all worried about the kids at the Seder table. Will they behave? Will they embarrass you? What can you do to prepare them? These are valid concerns, but when looked at in a different light and when expectations are realistic, in addition to some preparation, a Seder can be a joyful experience that you and your children will talk about all year.
There are so many great resources out there for parents these days: online chat rooms about Passover, books for children (I recommend No Matzoh for Me by Nancy E. Krulik) and even a downloadable (is that a word?) 30 Minute Seder Haggadah whose testimonials claim to “save Passover” by blending tradition with brevity. I also like this easy-to-use online guide for a Developmentally Appropriate Passover Seder: for children ages 4 & 5 put out by the URJ. There are helpful tips in this article online called, “Sedering with Kids”. The photo in this blog, is a great creative example of a Passover nametags from “midorionna on Flickr”.
These are all great places to start. And starting early is the key. Begin talking with your children about the upcoming holiday in language and on a level they understand. Take out Passover children’s books from the public library and read them nightly for the weeks leading up to the holiday. Download free Passover coloring pages from the internet and hang them around your home. When the big night(s) come, assign jobs for the kids at the Seder: passing out of the kippot, serving the matzoh, going to wash their hands, opening the door for Elijah, etc. These will all get the kids focused on a task and take them out of their seats enough so that they won’t get fidgety during the Seder.
Seat the children with the adults. I have found that creating a “kids table” is nothing more than asking for trouble. Invest in some on the table distractions (a bag of plagues toys or finger puppets of the Seder plate objects) and incorporate them into your Seder meal. Use your child’s favorite Passover book to tell the story of the Exodus instead of the one in your own Haggadah. Most importantly, if you are excited, the kids will be excited. Passover is a totally interactive experience for the whole family to treasure.
These are all fantastic ideas, Amy!!! Thanks for sharing them. I would also like to add that a great way to get your kids ready for Passover, or any Jewish holiday, is to play them CDs with the songs and prayers for that holiday. Children learn so much through song (as you and I both know growing up at the same synagogue and at the same day school!). You can teach even the youngest of children the four questions way before you think they can learn them if you play them in song - at home, or even better in the car - over and over and over again!!!
ReplyDeleteMy father-in-laws seder is usually very long and drawn out, which is too much for the kids. Last year he gave in and made one seder kid friendly. He bought all the seder toys that they sell in party city and the kids had a blast. He made everything into a drama and acted it all out to the delight of the children. My kids have been asking me for months if we will be going to New York to be at my father-in-laws seder again. Needless to say my father-in-law was thrilled!
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