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Syncletica
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| Posted: March 09 2009 at 2:23pm | IP Logged
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Today, our "Steps to Calvary" chart said to not drink between meals.
I'm wondering what you get your young children to do to make lenten sacrifices? I need some ideas.
One of our main goals was to be more kind toward each other. That doesn't seem to be happening. I don't know how to make it more practical and able to be practiced. If you have any ideas, could you please share them with me? I'm looking for concrete examples: "Today, we will do (this)." Thanks!
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Betsy
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| Posted: March 09 2009 at 2:45pm | IP Logged
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Examples for my boys 7 & 8...
Not playing with Dad after work (HUGE Sacrifice)
Quiet time in the home for a set amount of time
As a family we are giving up our favorite breakfast.
I always try to find something that you can tangibly say you did it or didn't do it. I find that I even need to remind my dh of this...
Instead of saying I will be nice to my sibling (open ended), say I will do this chore for sibling today, etc. Instead of saying of I will be kinder, say I will write a letter to my grandma and tell them how much they mean to me. It's a double bonus of it is something that they child needs to work on! Plus, if the child is ready, I discuss how doing/not doing this should draw us closer to Jesus.
Also, I have had my boys do their sacrifice (their choice guided by me) for one week..with Sunday kind of a reprieve. One week is a huge struggle for them, but still realistic!
Betsy
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trish
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| Posted: March 09 2009 at 3:00pm | IP Logged
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For my younger guys I have a sacrifice jar and a prayer jar. They range in age 4- 9 and they each pick from the jars after morning prayers. In the sacrifice jar there are chores and small sacrifices (simple things like sweep the bathroom floor or drink only water with lunch). And in the prayer jar I have sets of prayers for them to say (3 Hail Marys for Grandpa or 3 Glory Bes for Father) They keep tack of their sacrifices and prayers by picking a purple bean (just dyed navy beans) for each one done and putting it in a special jar they have made. I find them asking to pick from the jars so I don't have to worry about forgetting and they can see in a visual way how their actions can 'add' up.
On another note my 12 year old daughter likes to do this on her own. For each time she does something without complaining or has said specific prayers I have caught her adding beans to her jar.
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missionfamily
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| Posted: March 09 2009 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
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We have one day a week where we do water only and one day where we don't snack between meals (which is hard because morning and tea time snacks are part of our school routine--when we get the bulk of our reading done, their absence is noticeable.) One day we give up all screen time and the other two days are also efforts in virtue---one day we fast from complaining and the other from unkind words.
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teachingmom
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| Posted: March 10 2009 at 10:45pm | IP Logged
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I will tell you one thing that I found did not work well with children here. For many years, we enforced a family sacrifice of no desserts or sweets of any kind for Lent. (Sundays excepted.) Then the kids were encouraged to choose another personal sacrifice commitment beyond that.
We found as the children got older that some of the girls felt very resentful that this particular sacrifice was imposed on them. It was actually causing one in particular to have a very bad attitude toward sacrificing. And I was getting the impression that the poor attitude was keeping her from freely choosing other personal sacrifices to make. I really want to raise kids who learn to sacrifice for our Lord joyfully and freely.
Last year, we changed things so that we chose certain days of the week to refrain from treats as a family so that other days were left for each person to decide whether to partake of dessert. Dh and I still refrain from sweets all week except Sunday, but the children have particular days in which they all join us in this. Then each of them have also made other sacrifices. For example, one dd has given up peanut butter (which is very hard to do around here because PB on waffles is a favorite breakfast) and chocolate. We've asked each of the older girls to try to make part of their Lenten commitments include some sort of prayer or Bible reading each day.
My 5yo and 9yo are doing something similar to the sacrifice jar mentioned by Trish. We printed out two sets of 40 sacrifices on slips of paper and put them in jars that each of them decorated. Each day, they pick one of the papers for their sacrifice that day. Examples are, Play a game with a younger sibling today, Ask Dad what you can do to help him today, Say a Hail Mary and an Our Father, Speak kindly to everyone you meet today, Don't eat any chocolate today, Read a story in the Bible, Pray a Decade of the Rosary, etc.
This the first year that any of my children have done something like this, and I think it's a fantastic idea for younger children. They like the way it is new everyday. And it is so much easier for a young child to stay committed to doing it when it is not the same sacrifice for six weeks.
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Willa
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| Posted: March 10 2009 at 10:59pm | IP Logged
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My children always choose a sacrifice. One gave up sweet things, one gave up computer games and the internet, etc. In general we have simpler food and less desserts around during Lent but I don't set the no-sweets rule for the whole house except during Holy Week when we try to practice silence and simplicity (at least a bit!).
In addition, this year I'm trying to work on a couple of habits with them. For the younger set this is:
-- kind quiet voices
-- work as a team
I don't know if that's practical enough? They can't REALLY fight with each other if they are using a peaceful tone.
And I thought that if each day I found (or they found) something they could do cooperatively and joyfully, it would build up a sense of comraderie that is sometimes lacking here. Today they shared marbles, yesterday they helped each other pick up -- etc.
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Syncletica
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| Posted: March 24 2009 at 3:13pm | IP Logged
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Yesterday we made a list of things that they might do to be kind to each other. I want to type them up and cut them into strips so that each child can pick one. Maybe I'll funtack them onto a paper made up just for that until their 'duty' is done. The only name we came up with was "Servant Duties" .....anyone have a better name? I'd love to have something that sounds more appealing. Anyway, I'll jot them down here, some may be somewhat repetitive. There are only 13, but I was hoping to get some extra ideas.
1.Read a book to your sibling.
2.Share your favourite toy.
3.Offer to do a chore for your sibling.
4.Make your siblings' bed.
5.Offer up water between meals.
6.Say a decade of the Rosary for sibling.
7.Bring siblings drink (food?) to the table.
8.Say something nice to your sibling.
9.Refrain from unkind words.
10.Smile at your sibling throughout the day (especially
when it's hard.
11.Say 1 Our Father, 3 Hail Mary's, and 1 Glory Be for
your sibling.
12.Clear away their dishes from the table.
13.Thank God for your siblings and ask God to help them be holy so they can be happy with Him in Heaven.
Looking forward to others' ideas so I can add them to our list. 
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Jody
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| Posted: March 25 2009 at 4:03pm | IP Logged
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Here are a few more:
-play dress-up w/sib
-play a game with/sib
-play with play dough w/sib
-color in coloring book or color a picture w/sib
-sing a song w/sib
-write a special note to sib
-give up salt/pepper for one meal
-give up butter for one meal
-make a list of 10 things you like about your sib
-make a list of 10 things you like about your family
-make a list of 10 things you thank God for
Blessings,
Jody
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: March 25 2009 at 4:12pm | IP Logged
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Sometimes the all or nothing is hard.. like you can give up candy and still be able to dessert etc. but if you give up all sweets.. that's much harder to do.
My 7 yr old told me she gave up her Barbie movies for lent.. there's other movies to watch and she will do that.. but the Barbie movies are some of her favority girlie movies.. but it's very doable.. so she'll have success at doing it.
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Jody
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| Posted: March 25 2009 at 5:02pm | IP Logged
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here are two more I forgot to include:
-give up afternooon snack and give it to sib
-make a favorite dessert for sib (can be eaten on Sunday if necessary)
Jody
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Gloria JMJ
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| Posted: March 25 2009 at 6:07pm | IP Logged
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In addition, this year I'm trying to work on a couple of habits with them. For the younger set this is:
-- kind quiet voices
-- work as a team
I think that Willas ideas are helpful and I hope they work in my house.
The only name we came up with was "Servant Duties" .....anyone have a better name? I'd love to have something that sounds more appealing.
Our Lady's maid or Our Lord's page could be an ideal to strive for and the list could be "Pages Duties" or "Maid's Duties".
Awaiting any other ideas.....
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Lenten sacrifices for children?
