As parents, and I think moms especially struggle with this, there seems to be a constant urge to be ‘doing’ things. Exercise more, read to our kids more, organize more, work more, etc. The problem is, when we are trying to do so many different things, we can’t do anything well! Hence why trying to ‘perfect’ oneself other than through prayer and fasting is such a futile endeavor.

So, every Lent, I make a Lenten resolution.  I try to make one change in our daily routine to help simplify our lives.  Simplify our lives so that there can be more energy and time to fast onto prayer and almsgiving.  I encourage each of you to make your own Lenten Resolution this year.  This year my Lenten resolution is to TURN OFF the computer during the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.  During those hours, any spare minutes that I might have used to browse a news article or write an email, I will use those minutes to pray instead.  Whether it be 2, 5 or 10 minutes.  I will leave prayer books in random places around the house–by the icon corner, by the toilet, by the bed, in the kitchen!  All to remind me to take that spare minute and communicate with God.

And now that you’ve thought of something to simplify your lives, here are some activities to fill them up again!  In all seriousness, here are some suggested weekly activities to do with your kids throughout Lent up until Holy Week.  The purpose of the activities is to provide a creative way to teach your children more about the Saint or Event being commemorated each Sunday in Lent.

Forgiveness Sunday-Use up that dairy!  Make some pancakes and a Lenten paper chain to count down the days of Lent.  Use purple construction paper for the first 46 days (yes, Lent is 40 days plus Holy Week!), then a black ring for Good Friday, followed by another purple for Holy Saturday and finally a white ring for Pascha with the words written on it: “Christ is risen from the dead! Alleluia!”. Purple is traditionally used at sombre times symbolizing our sorrow for our sin. White is symbolic of the purity and joy of Christ and black is symbolic of death and mourning.

Clean Monday-Lent actually means Holy Spring. It is a time when we should be ‘fasting’ from the flesh in order to delight in the spirit. So, start of this season with a day of spring cleaning.  Have your kids help.  Give them a rag to dust and wash windows with.  Have them sort through old toys and clothes to give to charity.  When all is done, head outside for a lenten picnic (falafels, anyone?)

Sunday of Orthodoxy-This day commemorates the triumph of icons over the iconoclasts, affirming the necessity of icons in the worship of the Orthodox Church.  A fun family activity is to have your children make an icon.  Have the children make their own icons to be blessed at church. Buy an unfinished wood piece at an arts & crafts store and some gold and red paint. Help the kids paint the wood gold with red trim like you see on icons. While this dries, print out a black and white picture of your child’s patron saint (or Christ) and have them color the picture (even toddlers can do this!). Cut out the figure and help your kids glue it onto the painted wood surface. If you can finish it beforehand, get it blessed on the Sunday of Orthodoxy.

Sunday of St. Gregory Palamas-St. Gregory serves as a witness that man can participate in the uncreated light of God’s glory while here on earth through prayer and fasting. He is an example that our struggle with fasting and prayer is not futile.  For this week, have your children a large jar or box for Lent.  In this jar, you will put money you are saving through fasting. To make sure you remember this aspect of fasting, pick an evening each week during Lent and have rice for dinner. Add some nutrition for the sake of the little ones and pregnant mommas (like lentils or tofu), but keep the meal cheap and simple. At the end of each meal, give each member of the family a dollar or so and have each person stick their dollar into your Lent jar. Decide as a family how you would like to use the money at the end of Lent.

Sunday of the Holy Cross-The Holy Cross is often referred to as the tree of life, bringing eternal life. In remembrance of this, go out and buy a small tree to plant in your yard (or, for you apartment dwellers…to replant in pots!). Try to pick a tree that blooms in the spring or bears fruit. If you plan on replanting the tree into a larger pot, have your children help you decorate the pot for the special occasion.

Sunday of St. John Climacus–To commemorate this Saint who is known as the originator of the hesachsym movement, make some pretzels. Apparently, pretzels were invented by a Christian monk as a Lenten bread. The shape of the pretzel mimics the crossing of arms in prayer. The bread was then given to children as rewards for memorizing their prayers. So, this week, work on teaching your children the Jesus Prayer. Then, on Saturday or Sunday make some pretzels(or buy if you must!).

Sunday of St. Mary of Egypt-St. Mary serves as a model of repentance: there is no burden of sin too great for God to forgive.  Here is a simple coloring activity: For toddlers, draw a heart and color the heart with crayons (use a variety of colors). Then color over the entire heart with a black crayon (color heavily). Give the blackened heart to your toddler and a coin or paperclip (straightened so they can use the point) and show them how they can scratch off the black crayon to reveal the beautiful colors beneath. Older children can do the entire activity by themselves. Talk to your children about how there is no sin too great for God to forgive. God can enlighten the most darkened heart.

May God bless you all this Lenten season!

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