Letting kids hang the decorations as they please

I am probably going to pop any day now and cannot move, been in pain since the fast. My dh is a neat freak and likes the Succa to be a thing to ‘show off’ with. Every year, being the creative one, I slave away until it looks magnificent. This year, m kids are B’H inspired to help and they really want to decorate the whole thing and I’m worried. I don’t want dh to freak out. They already started some and it looks…. Ahmmmm.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO!
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Posted: Sun, Oct 12 2008, 6:26 pm Post subject:

I’m sorry but I just lost my cool and banned the kids from the sukka. If dh doesn’t do it by himself tonight, I will let them tomorrow. arggggggggggggggggggggggg

Gold Member Joined: Oct 17 2006 Posts: 1006

How old is your oldest? Maybe let your oldest do without help from other kids.
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Executive Member Joined: Apr 29 2008 Posts: 324

Sounds like a slightly different situation, but here is how we work things in our house. DH and the kids prepare the sukkah--everything from the building to the decorating. I stay in the kitchen. I used to have these ideas about how the sukkah should be "perfectly" decorated, but several years ago I decided that it was just too much for me, so this is how we do things now. My kids are not babies anymore, but DH still pretty much supervises the decorating.

Can't you sit in the sukka and delegate?

Posted: Sun, Oct 12 2008, 9:19 pm Post subject:

I tried to sit in and lost my cool. Sorry, been contracting since the fast. Owweeeeeeeeeee. I’m not myself. Dh says he’ll try to do some tomorrow. Will see. Best part – I invited myself out for the 2 morning meals, now I am relaxed as a mother hen!

Diamond Member Joined: Jan 19 2005 Posts: 2560

sukkus is for kids. my kids get to put in the screws .wires hold the boards. help my dh decarate it the way they want.... I dont care less as long as I dont have to do it last minete... and there were some yrs it was up to me to decarate.... and when u are nine months or have a newborn baby who exactly cares how your sukkuh looks.?

Platinum Member Joined: Nov 30 2006 Age: 28 Posts: 8702

I think it's way more important for the kids to participate, enjoy and help out with a mitzva than it is for the sukka to look "just so."
My opinion only. Smile

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I think so too but this is dh who cares. So he will get to try his hand tomorrow and we will take it from there.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 12 2007 Posts: 20496

Do you know what a pleasure it is to have the children enjoy this mitzva. I waited so long to relinquish the work that comes with creating, decorating and dismantling the sukka. I remember our first sukka in the U.S.A in Pittsburgh, which can get COLD. My dh and our totally non observant neighbor went to Home Depot or whatever there was back then and board heavy particle boards. Not the thinner ones, the thicker ones. And thus, year after year for the seven years we were there, I had to haul with my DH to put that sukka up and then to take it down. While watching the kids and cooking. It was misery. As the years went on, and the kids grew, I had less and less shlep work.
This year, one son put all the poles up himself (easy sukka, no more wood) and then helped DH tweak it and put up the walls. All the kids at home then decorated. Bliss. I don't care what it looks like to others. It's not going to win a beautiful sukka award. My family enjoyed making it and are looking forward to sitting and sleeping in it. Most of all, the kids are proud of themselves. And I only had to cook. And shop. And do laundry. And bake. And clean.

Posted: Mon, Oct 13 2008, 10:15 am Post subject:

oh puhleeze - the succah should be FUN not elaborate ...
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Posted: Wed, Oct 15 2008, 9:27 pm Post subject:

Dh ended up working at it with the kids and I must say, when I have nothing to do with it, it comes out magnificent!

I used to do it but over th eyears have no patience for it, also dh doesn't like how I do it so now I leave him and the boys to decorate how they want...

Posted: Thu, Oct 16 2008, 3:16 am Post subject:

My kids aren't old enough but if they were I would for sure let them, we have some pretty wierd decorations in the succah this year that dd1 (3 1/2) made, eg, she took a piece of paper folded it a few times scribbled on it, punched a hole and told me it's a butterfly - she was proud of it, so it's up.

I prefer my kids do it! I might make suggestions but I think making the Sukkah pretty is the kids job. Before they are old enough or when they left the house is when my Sukkah tastes will become important
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I let my kids decorate the entire succah themselves. In our house it's not a showcase.
I don't really know what to advise you because it's important to respect your husband's wishes as well...
But if you're having contractions - that's all that matters! I don't think anyone should expect anything from a woman having contractions!
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Posted: Thu, Oct 16 2008, 8:34 am Post subject:

and the contractions continue, LOL!