Observing Holy Week in the home is one of the most impactful celebrations in our families spiritual health and development. In this post I will be addressing different ways you can customize your preparations to best suit your family. Join us in cultivating gospel-centric conversations with our children in anticipation for Easter!

Palm Sunday marks the final week of the liturgical season of Lent. Each day gives opportunities to study how Jesus experienced his final days. From the cleansing of the temple, Passover, Judas Iscariot’s betrayal, Jesus’ arrest, sacrificial death, and culminating in the celebration of Christ’s resurrection!

Holy Week provides the format and structure for us to disciple our children.

Having a format to follow brings me a sigh of relief, but it can simultaneously create an unrealistic standard of everything I should do. When we recognize that we don’t have to do all-the-things this week to make a lifelong spiritual impact in our children, it frees us to prioritize the one or two things we want to impart to our children. As we approach the start of Holy Week we need to pause, reflect, and prepare on what would make this week special.

Contrary to the observance of Christmas – our children do not have two or more weeks off of school, and working parents don’t typically take vacation time like during Winter and New Year Holidays. Addressing these factors plays a vital role in acknowledging your families capacity, and knowing what is possible to incorporate in this years Holy Week experience.

Pause

First, take a look at your family’s calendar from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday. The act of intentionally slowing down and carving out space together can illuminate your child’s heart. Prioritizing family time can aid in an average school/work week to feel extra special.

Applying this could look like rescheduling an appointment or even skipping extracurricular activities. Only you know what best serves your children.

Reflect

Identify how you want to facilitate quality family time. Think about what gets your child engaged and excited. No matter if school is in session, and your spouse is working normal hours – you can make this week feel like a holiday every day.

This endeavor might look like snacks after school at the grandparents house or their favorite park. Maybe dessert every night after dinner, or incorporating activities your children enjoy. This doesn’t have to be big, flamboyant, or expensive to be a memorable week!

Prepare

Pinpoint the best time of day to share the corresponding bible story as Easter week progresses. For some families that time is breakfast, or on the drive to school, snack time, dinner as a family, or during bedtime stories (Note: this might fluctuate depending on family activities or commitments. Knowing these variables can help create a plan for those days). Not sure what to read? Check out our post Cultivating Lent & Holy Week Traditions.

As you think ahead to Easter morning – examine what family expectations you might have before attending church, and make a plan with your spouse on how to best fulfill those intentions. Keeping in mind that not all celebrations have to happen prior to your church’s Easter service (that reminder is mostly for me).

Holy Week provides us the invitation to practice Deuteronomy 11:19.

“You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

Deuteronomy 11:19 ESV

As we journey through Holy Week together we commit to teaching our children as we sit in our house and play, walk outside with our pets and strollers, admist our bedtime stories, and as we rise to get ready for the day ahead. The Holy Spirit in us empowers us to not only receive truth, but to teach the truth to our children. These daily acts of discipleship impart the greatest legacy we could ever pass on, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” 2 Corinthians 2:2