While many adults see Rosh Hashanah as a time to sit in Temple for a very long time, kids see it as something different. To children, Rosh Hashanah is a time when we eat apples and honey, blow the shofar, and send greeting cards to our family and friends. So, you may ask, why do children see Rosh Hashanah is such a beautiful way when we adults only see the many hours in shul in front of us? It's all in the activities. Do you want to plan some fun High Holiday crafts for your children? Check out Debra and Chad Spigel's Rosh Hashanah Activities for Young Children.

Rosh Hashanah Parenting Special.
Making mistakes is an inevitable part of life. "T'shuva", or repentance, is the Jewish response to dealing with those mistakes. The Hebrew word for sin--cheit--can also be understood as "missing the mark" and t'shuva is Judaism's way of getting us back on target. For suggestions on how to approach the subject of sin and repentance with your children read Practice What Your Preach: Talking to Your Children About T'shuva-Repentance by Jill Suzanne Jacobs

Many parents feel one of the greatest challenges of the High Holidays is making it meaningful not only for themselves but also for their young children. Long hours of services, unfamiliar prayers or melodies and complex themes may seem like insurmountable obstacles to the spiritual growth and experience we hope for. For advice on how to make Rosh Hashanah a more meaningful holiday for you and your children, read Parenting Tips for the New Year by Yosef Abramowitz.

Values questions for discussion:

• How do you encourage your children to attend services?
• What are the hardest things to forgive your children for?
• Is everything forgivable?
• How do you find spirituality outside of synagogue during High Holidays or during the year?
• How do you share your spirituality with you children?