How do we (as parents) instill the faith in our children in a way that is impactful and memorable?

Lent is always the perfect time to take stock of this question. My wife, Joanna, and I have been trying, and sometimes failing, at being intentional about this since we got married almost five years ago. With sons Benedict, 3, and Gabriel, 1, we pray before meals, attend Sunday Mass, and say our prayers before bed. As every parent knows, many times these occasions are filled with challenges. Since Holy Week can have its own set of difficulties as a young family, planning ahead is critical. 

Last year, we began some traditions that we plan on continuing every year in order to allow our kids to experience Holy Week as more than just attending a few extra church services. 

Palm Sunday

First, on Palm Sunday, we make the commitment to wear red as a family and do some at-home crafts that are connected to the palm branches received. This is the day we spend reminding the boys that this week is different from any other week of the whole entire year. We have found that preparation is crucial for success, especially when longer Masses are involved.

Wednesday of Holy Week and Holy Thursday

On Wednesday of Holy Week, the boys will accompany us to the store to buy the food that we will eat together on Holy Thursday evening. Joanna found some recipes online that imitate, in small ways, what a Passover meal would have looked like. We have some simple veggies and lamb kebabs, along with some unleavened bread for the kids to eat. 

We found that how we ate was more memorable for Ben than what we ate. We ate on the floor, reclining at a table just like Jesus would have. The only difference is we circled pillows on the floor around the living room coffee table. Our grace before meals was a little longer than normal, but then we enjoyed the meal together. We spoke about how this night was Jesus’ last meal with his best friends. 

After dinner on Holy Thursday comes the washing of feet, while we explain to the boys a short version of what Jesus did for his best friends and why. 

Good Friday

Good Friday has a serious tone to it from the time we wake up. We try to explain why it is such an important day; our prayer time includes a journey through some of the Stations of the Cross. We will only do two or three in a sitting, due to young attention spans, but we will show Benedict how to genuflect at the right time (like we do in church). 

Before bed, we will have Ben look at a cross in his room and ask him, “What happened to Jesus and why did he do that for you?” This refrain began last year on this day. All year long, Benedict will say in the cutest 3-year-old voice, “He got nailed to the cross because he loved me and Daddy and Mommy and Gabey.”

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday will be a day that we try to improve on this year by visiting a church so that the kids can see a statue of Mary. We hope to have Jesus’ mom play a large role this day by bringing her flowers and talking to the kids about how we can go to Jesus’ mom when we are feeling sad because she knew what it was like to be sad, too. 

Easter Sunday

When Easter Sunday comes, we truly celebrate. Joanna found a good recipe for empty tomb rolls last year. When you bake them, there are holes that form to make the roll look like an empty tomb. The chorus of the day is, “What happened on Easter Sunday?” The kids will answer, “Jesus came out of the empty tomb. 

After Mass, when we do our Easter egg hunt, we show the kids how a half egg almost looks like an empty tomb. Even though Benedict was only 2 and a half years old when we began this practice last year, he still talks about his empty tomb roll and Easter eggs. Their little brains are sponges for information, especially when doing learning-based activities.

We have found that implementing these activities around our normal routine has helped to make the faith more engrained in their little hearts. Along the way, we pray that Holy Week becomes a time to underscore that Jesus reigns as No. 1 in our lives and in our little family.