My Kids and Lent - Giving Back Not Up

Posted by Molly

I’m not exactly sure at what age we’re supposed to begin giving something up for Lent. I would guess seven or eight after we’ve received first communion? Maybe sooner if you show the maturity to understand what it means to give something up for Lent. I know I gave something up when I was in elementary school but I can’t remember how old I was when I started.

In my house, I feel like for small children, being told to give something up for Lent can seem like a punishment and I never want my children to associate Catholicism with anything negative. So instead of giving something up, I ask my children to go out of their way to do something nice for someone else every day of Lent.

For my older son, Mac, who is five, his Lenten mission has included sharing with his brother, holding the door open for moms at school, giving one of his silly bands to each of his classmates and telling me I look cute. For Charlie, who is 3, it’s been a little harder for him to think of others. Most days he just decides at a random moment to give me a “huggle” and then smiles and says “Jesus liked that, right?” and I say “Yes, Charlie, Jesus loved that and He’s not the only one”.

The great part about our Lenten tradition is that without realizing it, Mac and Charlie really are giving something up. They’re giving up being selfish. By making a concerted effort to think of ways to do something small for others every day of Lent, they’re training themselves to think of others every day of life. And they’re realizing something I think a lot of adults have missed; that the smallest kindness – a smile, a hug, a compliment – can mean so much to another person and it’s such an easy gift to give. I can see already that my kids want to keep giving and that warms my heart because Lent isn’t about what we give up – it’s about what we give of ourselves to our family, our friends, our community and our God.

Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all.  The least we can do is give a little something back.