…or for getting your hands on some school-aged children in some other manner (artificial insemination, adoption, etc).
Back when we were in school, the lead-up to any holiday was full of anticipation. Even in high school, every teacher would so bemoan the fact that we didn’t learn “Yahadus” anymore that they’d mix something related into their lessons. Now… well…
Good4 has joined my annual tradition of waking up the night before Purim and going “Ohmigosh! I didn’t arrange matanos l’evyonim yet!” I’m flattering myself, of course. She’s way ahead of me. My first year out of seminary I didn’t remember until Purim day.
Then Best4 sent a video of Kinfauna #4 telling the Purim story as a musical production, complete with school-crafted popsicle puppets and pre-school level musical numbers. (And parental prompts from the class newsletter.) Best4 gets the same running start on all the holidays just from being around kids. (And he gets to watch Kinfauna #4 ham it up on a regular basis.)
And yeah, I miss that. These days holidays just happen and I show up to them as a guest. When you’ve got your own household, you own the holiday. And when you’ve got kids, that same old story becomesĀ fresh again, popsicle-stick puppets, Vashti songs, and all.
Actually, this is more of a reason to become a teacher (or something) than to get married.
First of all, marriage doesn’t necessarily = kiddies. And there is a lot more work involved in getting married, staying married, birthing the child, and raising it until it performs – then there’s always the chance that it won’t be the performing type. And there is a max limit on how many years of performance you can expect even from the best.
In contrast, anyone who works in a Jewish elementary school gets all the holiday spirits around the year, and then you send the noisy little things home and retreat to your own haven of choice. Win.