Q: Tishrei has a lot of unfamiliar davening. How do I help my child follow along in shul?
If they are learning about the Machzor in school, bring their materials to shul. Children can follow along better when they are familiar with the meaningful, beautiful Tefillos. And consider buying them an English Machzor so they can follow along more easily in a language they understand.
I would suggest making davening fun with a “Tefilla scavenger hunt.” Have them search for specific Tefillos, ideas, or words in the Machzor. They can also look out for certain tunes or niggunim in the Tefilla. You can also create a Bingo chart with keywords, and each time they find a word, they can place a sweet candy on the chart. This helps keep them engaged in the davening.
Q: How can I motivate them to daven on the days they are home, such as Yom Tov and Chol Hamoed?
Set Up a “G.R.O.W.” Café. GROW is an acronym for the four steps of davening:
- Gratitude: (Birchos Hashachar) What are you grateful for this Yom Tov?
- Recognition: (Pesukei Dizimra) Reflect on miracles. What highs and lows do you recognize today? What has made this Yom Tov special for you?
- Oneness: (Shema) How can you become one with Hashem and others through a mitzvah?
- Wish: (Shemoneh Esrei) What is your wish to ask Hashem for today?
Invite your child to enjoy a cozy atmosphere with hot drinks and breakfast treats while using prompts from GROWconnectionNetwork.com. This is a wonderful way to prepare for davening from the siddur and makes Tefilla more meaningful by having children start by composing their own.
You can also sing the davening with your children, depending on their age, and give them raffle tickets to “buy” prizes at the end of the week or pick one winner for a prize.
Motivate them with words of praise and encouragement. Consider special outings or small rewards once everyone has finished davening. Keep it positive so they associate davening with a time of connection to you and Hashem!
Share stories or concepts related to Tishrei to help your child understand the meaning and importance of davening, making it more engaging and relevant for them. Use bedtime, the Yom Tov meal, or a Yom Tov/Shabbos party as a time to share these stories.
Ask the Mechaneches
Mrs. Nechama Dina Laber, founder and director of Jewish Girls Unite and The GROW Connection Network, is an educator and Shlucha for over 3 decades. She is the mother of 11 children.
