Lent

Posted from one of my mom friends: I realize that it is already Ash Wednesday but I was wondering if you all would be so generous as to share what your family and what you (as a mom) are doing/not doing for your Lenten journey.

The next day I wrote back to her:

When I saw your message yesterday, I thought "Ha! Lent -- while in my last weeks of pregnancy and first weeks of baby3 -- survival is on the top of the list, not extra disciplines." But then Monkey2 came home from preschool with a Lenten activity that Monkey1 had also loved doing...

Lent Links (activity from preschool Bunny class)

Lent is a time for good deeds. These can be made tangible to young children by creating a paper chain during Lent, where each link in the chain is a "good deed" they have done, such as extra little jobs around the house.

My oldest child did this several years ago in school, and her Lent Links chain is still hanging in her bedroom -- each paper link labeled with things like "found clean diaper for little sister" or "emptied the silverware rack in the dishwasher" or "picked up toys without being asked." She was very proud of seeing her chain grow longer and longer as Lent progressed.

Second child, also very excited to do this, and to take two links to school the next day.

(If this activity is done at home, there would probably be some sibling rivalry involved as each tries to make the longest chain...)