Where is God?

One day recently I asked my son who God was. He responded with a sentence about Shabbat, lighting candles and not blowing them out, and juice for God - but don't drink the juice he reminded me! He then asked me, "Where he (God) is?" Oh wow, I thought to myself, these questions are starting now? I'm not ready! Oh well, I thought as I replied, "God is everywhere." He seemed satisfied with that.

Later that evening when we were reading before bed, he asked me again, "Where he is?" I gave him the same answer as earlier, "everywhere." He then said, "I think God wants to go outside and look at the stars and the moon." I smiled, saying, "I bet he does!"

Recently my two-year-old niece showed her mother a picture she was drawing. My niece proudly told her it was a picture of God. Better keep that picture!

I like the idea that as we adults pride ourselves on trying to understand the world, it is the youngest ones amongst us who really do.

Keeping Kosher at Preschool 101

Preschool is just around the corner now, and I am learning something new with each piece of mail. What was new to me, but really shouldn't have been, was the fact that the preschool keeps Kosher. I knew that from my first research of the school, but I was thinking that meant no meals that mixed meat and dairy. Of course it means that, but so much more. While children can purchase lunch at school, for those who bring their own, it must be dairy only. Then my mother-in-law had to educate me. My home is not Kosher, thus the meals I prepare are not Kosher. When I cook meat, it is not Kosher. To be sure that Kosher is kept, children are asked to bring only dairy meals from home. I felt a little silly having had to relearn what I thought I knew about this. (But didn't a wise person once say we should learn something new each day?) With so many children coming from different backgrounds (both Jewish and non Jewish), the school needs to make sure that everyone follows the same dietary standards when at school. I wonder how hard that is?

What that means for "brown baggers" is a dairy lunch is OK, as is one with tuna and fish sticks. And then, of course, the usual, fruit and vegetables, drinks, etc.

For birthdays, the school encourages families to ask teachers for suggestions for a book or game that the birthday child and their family can donate to the class, in lieu of a birthday treat. If treats are brought in, they must be prepackaged and carry the Kosher symbol. I love the idea of teaching my son to give to others on his birthday, and even with his having a summer birthday, I plan to help him celebrate it early and before school ends for the year with a gift to his class. As for birthday treats, I have months to mull that one over!

Summer Break

I haven't posted in two months. I have worked full time in the summer the past few years, and it was the same for the summer of 2010. The work I do (summer residential camp) is intense, and takes weeks of prep work and then wrap-up so I haven't had much time to post. I have to get better about that next year, think ahead and do some writing to sustain me over the summer.

As I have thought about this, it sadly mirrors my own Jewish learning over the summer. Not much new on that front. Pushed aside for other things. Now that things have slowed down a bit, I find myself thinking about things more. Probably a lot of reasons for that - High Holy Days, Jewish preschool starting, a bit more time to contemplate life. I wonder if that happens with others - a religious summer break, in a sense...

How to You Correctly Pronounce the Word God?

One of the traditions my husband and I have started with our son is reading The Bedtime Sh'ma by Sarah Gershman each night as the final book before bed. It is a nice way to bring a peaceful setting to the night, and I always find myself thinking about the words. The book starts off with the lines, "What have I done today? Did I hurt someone else? I ask for forgiveness. Did someone hurt me? I try to forgive." It is a good way to review my own actions ans words during the day.

Naturally, the word God comes up a lot.

Last week while reading the book, after hearing me say the word God, my son said, "No, mom, its God." I looked at him and tried to say God exactly the way he did, but he was not satisfied with my attempt. He corrected me again (in his mind at least, as my ears heard no difference in our pronunciations.) Is there really more than one way to say God? And am I really being corrected on this by a three year old?