How to Survive Shabbos Without an Eruv

mimivan

Sat, Jan 19 2008, 3:39 pm

I am putting this under schoolage, but I also have a toddler under 2 as well as a 4 1/2 year old. I live in Yirushalayim, and up until now, we've always had an eruv, so I could take my kids to the park or to shul. Now, there is no eruv and dh says he doesn't know when it is going to be fixed. I live in a tiny apartment and the boys often fight over toys and often have difficulties getting along. For those who don't have or don't hold by an eruv, how do you survive all Shabbos inside? Any ideas for games and activities?

I am really not used to not being able to take them out...

Mama Bear

Sat, Jan 19 2008, 6:46 pm

2 and 4 year olds walk really well on their own, cant you find a park that's just a five minute walk away? I went out with my 20 month old every single sahbbos as soon as he was able to walk. The first 2 shabbosom I took him to nearby relatives but after 3 weeks I arleady took him to my mohter, a 10 minute walk away. it took him 25 minutes but we made it! I stayed til the zman and borrowed a stroller to go home. can you find other locked-in mothers to visit or have someone visit you? the shabbos is so short now, do you get to take a nap? I found I only have about 2 hours to fill after teh shabbos nap.

louche

Sun, Jan 20 2008, 9:36 pm

Sorry, OP, I'm not laughing at you, but the title of the thread really did make me laugh. I grew up in a 'hood with no eruv, never even heard of such a thing till we learned about it in 6th or 7th grade--and I still live in a place with no eruv. My only experience with one was when I visited someone in a bungalow colony--where it seemed like more of a nuisance than anything else, since if you were carrying anything you had to be careful not to walk beyond the eruv's borders. The idea of being unable to "survive" shabbos without an eruv is quite amusing. My grandparents, my parents, my sibs, most of my relatives and all my friends growing up survived very nicely--and none of us has needed therapy to cope with the strain.

mimivan

Sun, Jan 20 2008, 10:30 pm

louche wrote:

I know it seems strange to those of you in the U.S. I was in CH and didn't have kids so it was easy. The past 5 years in Yirushalayim, everyone holds by the eruv, so I just got in the habit of taking the kids out. Sorry about the word "survive" Of course I don't mean literally. And no, I'm not in therapy for this..thanks for understanding..l

It was precisely women like you in the U.S I thought could give me some good advice... Wink

gryp

Mon, Jan 21 2008, 10:08 am

Mimivan, how about putting aside a few toys to be played with only on Shabbos?

I had a spur of the moment funny idea one Shabbos when I needed a few minutes of quiet and announced that it's library time. LOL. The kids enjoyed the same books they read all week because suddenly they were in a pretend library. LOL

Who is it harder to keep entertained, Mimivan, the 4 yr old or the younger one? Or is it that they're both together all day?

When my kids need a break from each other, I appoint them to different rooms with a specific activity (a board game, puzzle, books) to do in there.

Also, I am looking for activities that they can create one thing by working together. Not only will it build respect and friendship between them, but they'll feel accomplished together. We already do jigsaw puzzles together, but I need more ideas.
I wonder if that would work for your boys, Mimivan. Or if the younger one is too young.

Last Shabbos they each chose a big truck from the shelf and we built a big parking lot out of blocks. They had fun for a while figuring out which blocks we needed to use, building, and zooming their trucks around.

I chose Shabbos afternoon to be the special time I read to each one of them by themselves.

We also play Simon Says (they don't quite understand that one yet), hide-and-seek, and hot-and-cold.

And lots of imagination games the kids make up themselves.

What do your kids enjoy doing on a regular day?

NotInNJMommy

Mon, Jan 21 2008, 11:18 am

I deal better with a seder. get dressed, eat, davenning time, sing songs, read books, nap time. weather here is dreadful right now so I have no interest in being outside anyways.

When it was nicer I would go out in the yard with ds while dd was sleeping, so that helped a bit. I guess I never worried that much bc he can walk and there actually is a kosher eruv, I just don't use it...so c"vs there's a need for me to carry him in the house I could.

There are also some people I'm friends with who do use the eruv or don't need the eruv, and they stop by to visit. I'm so exhausted on shabbos I'd rather lounge in my shabbos robe and receive visitors.

mimivan

Mon, Jan 21 2008, 11:23 am

GR wrote:

They play with legos, train sets blocks and "read" (not the 18 month old) books. The problem on Shabbos is the same as during the week--once they try to play together, the little one breaks apart the object the older one is building or the younger takes it away...

The difference is on Shabbos is that it is all day and there is no escape LOL

But I tried some more physical activities with them this Shabbos and it was good...separate rooms is an excellent idea (problem is our bedroom is tiny) breaking up the day and varying activities are good

I'm really thinking Twister could be a fun game they could both do (the little one won't understand but he'll imitate.) There are no pieces to be lost and nothing to fight over..

Imaginations games too...like stuffed animals could be a mini-minyan in a shul

Thanks for getting me to brainstorm, GR