Hey ,

Shabbat doesn’t require perfection—just intention. Here are a few lessons we've learned over the years:

1. Start Simply and Simply Start – We began our meals with some basics (a candle and a single prayer) and tried adding one new thing every few weeks.

2. Save Dessert for Shabbat – One way we got our kids excited for Shabbat was to save all their favorite treats for it. That meant saying no to dessert or sweets during the week (which is much harder when Grandma is around). Now, when they see something they want at the store, we say, "yes ... but for Shabbat." They love it.

3. Simplify the Menu – We always include pasta (because kids love noodles) and simple proteins. It took us a pandemic to start baking sourdough and adding more than one type of meat.

4. Put ”Work" Away Before the Meal – Before dinner, everyone picks one thing that represents "work" to place in a basket. For mom and dad, that’s usually the phone. This helps the family shift from "going and creating" to "stopping and enjoying."

5. AskStart, Stop, and Keep Going – After the meal, ask “What was missing, what can we skip next time, and what went well?” If you do this consistently and make small tweaks each week, you'll have over 500 chances to improve over the next 10 years. As your family finds its rhythm, you'll be creating a wonderful new tradition.

Hit reply with questions or successes! I'd love to hear how it’s going, and I promise to read every story you share.

Cheering you on,

Team Thorpe