Ways to Live Jonah's Fast with Your Child

Jonah's Fast (or the Fast of Nineveh) is Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week. It's a nice warm up before we settle into Lent. Here are a few simple ways you can teach your child about this fast.1. Read a chapter from Jonah every day. How convenient is it that Jonah's Fast is four days (three fasting, one feast) and the Book of Jonah is four chapters? Take advantage and make it a family tradition to read Jonah's story over the course of the fast.2. Make whale crafts. Check out this Pinterest Board for ideas.3. Play and learn the hymns of Jonah's fast. Here's a good Coptic version.4. Attend Liturgies. In our (very small!) church, we're having a Divine Liturgy every afternoon for Jonah's Fast. That's incredibly convenient for after school. Check your schedule and make a point to attend!5. Fast together (as appropriate for his/her age). Jonah's Fast involves eating only vegan foods (no meats, dairy--and no fish either!) and having some part of your day complete abstinence from food.Adapt this for your child as you begin to get him or her used to fasting. Remember if you're attending a Liturgy (see #4), there's a required 9-hour abstinence fast beforehand for adults*.*Maybe you've never heard the guideline for kids? Our family rule is one hour per year of age... So, if he's five, five hours; if she's eight, eight hours.