Stickers on the Cross

I wanted to share something that we are doing in our home to prepare for Easter. I had originally planned on putting out the Crown of Thorns like we did last year. We did actually make the Crown on Shrove Tuesday.  But looking back at that post from last year, I remembered that the girls didn't understand it then, and I soon realized that they didn't quite understand it this year either.   I was struggling with trying to explain the idea of relieving Jesus' suffering while leaving out the part where we caused his suffering (because they are still sinless!).   And there was the whole problem Turtle (and Rosebud to some extent) was having with figuring out the timeline of everything  ("Is Jesus on the Cross right now?  How many days?  When does He get off?").

   About a week into Lent, after a lot of thought and talking with my daughters' Catechist at the Atrium, my mom (also a CGS Catechist) and some good friends, I decided to throw away the Crown of Thorns and start over with a preparation activity that is less heavy and seems to me more appropriate for little ones.

 

So, we have our "Stickers on the Cross."  

My mom did this with us when I was growing up.  It is the same idea as the "straws in the manger" activity done during Advent.  Do something good, you get to put a sticker on the Cross.

But, we don't do it quite like that yet.  

I've told the girls that they get to put a sticker on for every day of Lent. The idea I am emphasizing is simply the idea of preparation and making our crosses more and more beautiful as we get closer to Easter.  On Easter morning, I plan to put a gold cloth draped over the cross, or perhaps a garland of flowers.  Some Easter treat will be at the foot of the beautiful decorated cross.  (We hide Easter baskets in their entirety in this family, otherwise I'd leave the baskets at the cross.)

I feel that the symbolism of the Cross is present in this activity but we aren't dwelling on the Passion, nor are we making this contingent upon good behavior -- which I would like to save until after the age of reason.

    My girls are still young.  Nothing they can do can hurt their Jesus, rather everything they do is a delight to Him.  The time for talking more about the Passion and Death and our role in that event is coming soon.  But I don't think that time is now.  The beautiful CGS philosophy tells me that this is an age in which the child does not need to learn the details of the Redemption Story, but rather needs simply to rejoice in the relationship between the Good Shepherd and His Sheep.