Don’t wait until Friday to begin preparing for Sabbath
Let Sabbath preparation begin as early in the week as possible. Scatter your tasks throughout the days ahead so that each day has something to achieve for Sabbath.
For example, on Monday, decide what you will cook for Sabbath meals. On Tuesday, prepare everyone’s clothing and shoes. On Wednesday, do the laundry. On Thursday, do the grocery shopping and any cooking that can be frozen or refrigerated until Sabbath. On Friday, finish the cleaning and cooking.
When you have small babies, keep a Sabbath bag. Fill it with an extra diaper and wipes, a burp cloth if needed, two or three quiet toys, and maybe a small child’s book. For very small infants, include a change of clothes for emergencies.
Keep this bag separate from your normal diaper bag and place it where you can’t miss it when you leave. When you get home from church, repack the Sabbath bag as soon as you walk in the door. Put it back in its place, ready to go on Sabbath morning when you leave.
As children grow, add and change the activities or books in your Sabbath bag to suit their ages and interests. When they are preschoolers, give them the responsibility of carrying their own Sabbath bag, preparing it ahead of time, and keeping track of it.
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