Getting the Kids to Help for Shabbos

On Fridays I try to get extra cleaning and sometimes cooking help. On the one hand, this is really great as I really need the help, but on the other hand, I realize that my kids are not as involved in getting the house ready for Shabbos as I'd like them to be.

So this past Friday morning, I sat down with the crew and with a pen and paper asked each kid what they would like to do to help get the house ready for Shabbos.

Surprisingly, the kids jumped at the opportunity to either make a dish or set up the candles or do something that they would like to do. And now there is no going back.

I made this cute "My Special Shabbos Job" chart to put up, I laminated it and now every Friday morning, we will write each childs name and the job they will be doing to help get the house ready for Shabbos. And this does not include cleaning their bedrooms- that's a given!

So here is the chart, feel free to print and enjoy~

Have a wonderful week!

Always,

36 Lessons in 36 Years

In honor of my Hebrew birthday which was this last Shabbos, here are 36 things I've learnt in 36 years (in no particular order):

1. If something doesn't work, change it to make it work
2. Marriage is hard. Make it work
3. A best friend is one of the best gifts Hashem can give a person
4. Motherhood is so much harder, but so much better than I could have ever imagined
5. Most things/issues in life can be fixed
6. Travel and create as many memories as you possibly can before you get married, it's always fun to look back and tell your kids about your adventures
7. Boundaries are imperative in your life.
8. It's okay to say no. There are lots of nice ways of saying no
9. Having faith is not easy but when you do it will carry you through all sorts of situations
10. Dentists are not as scary as we think
11. When we let go of trying to control everything in our lives, amazing things begin to happen
12. Every problem has a solution
13. The only perfection in the world is Hashem (G-d)
14. Music is very inspirational
15. Going away by myself once a year is one of the biggest gifts my husband can give me and i encourage every mother to do it if possible
16. Be proactive, not reactive
17. There's a strength in asking for help when you need it, emotional help, physical help, any type of help
18. There are so many wonderful people in the world, make it your mission to have them part of your life
19. Being organized is a life long mission
20. Learning Chassisic Philosophy is one of my favorite things in the world to do
21. Some dreams come true without us even realizing it
22. It takes a lot more then Palm trees and gorgeous surroundings to make you happy, although warm weather does help!
23. Seize every opportunity you can to learn positive lessons from people
24. If you have a passion for something, try incorporate it into your day to day life, it will make you happy
25. Being a mother is the greatest thing on earth
26. You need to take time to make time
27. Don't wait for the world to be quiet to get things done, there's no time like the present
28. Do things that make you happy
29. Listen to music that makes you happy whenever you can, blare it in the house to spread the good mood
30. We can start over everyday, and sometimes many times within the day (from Rabbi Nachman)
31. Inspiration doesn't last but roll with it while you are on that high
32. Family comes first, always
33. Don't multi task- when doing something, do it fully then move on to the next
34. Life is hard, but life is also very beautiful
35. Take responsibility for your actions, own your stuff and humble yourself when you mess up
36. We have a limited time here on earth, Hashem chose each of us to be here so make the most of it
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!