Hanukkah: Part 1

I never thought I'd be that parent. You know -- the "newbie" who pulls the veteran teacher aside to talk to her about her curriculum. The problem parent. The one to throw a wrench in the plans. The one that all of the teachers talk about behind her back. I was a teacher myself for years. I know how it goes.

And yet, as Hanukkah approached, I was afraid that my Jewish child would be stuck learning about Santa and making construction paper Christmas trees every day of the month of December in his low-key Park and Rec. preschool. My brain conjured up nightmare images of my sweet little boy feeling like an outsider and an outcast in his own class. I remembered Scott's stories of being forced to make a blue "Hanukkah Sock" (?!) out of felt while the rest of his classmates made Christmas stockings.

So, putting aside my natural tendency to go with the flow and stay out of the way, I sucumbed to parental paranoia and mustered up my courage and my most ingratiating tone of voice. I cornered the head teacher one day after school and asked her point blank if the kids would be studying other holidays in class besides Christmas. I was ready to fight. I had my arguments rehearsed and ready. I needn't have worried. Ms. V had clearly been down this road before. She gave me a somewhat patronizing smile ("What the hell, crazy mom?! This is the Bay Area, after all!") and explained that they would be covering a number of different holidays in class. Furthermore, she encouraged me to bring in books and project ideas of my own regarding Hanukkah. Whoah! Project ideas? I'm the least crafty person on the face of the Earth! I muttered my thanks and feeling both relieved and flustered, I backed out of the classroom.

A few weeks later, Max came home with a reindeer headdress, a menorah made out of his own handprints and a woven Kwanzaa picture. Here's to multiculturalism! I didn't offer up any project ideas of my own; the preschool clearly already has that covered, but I did send in a couple books and some Hanukkah gelt for everyone.

Max seems to be making it through this holiday season with his Jewish identity intact ("We are Jewish and we celebrate Hanukkah. But other people like Dodie and Hayley celebrate Christmas.") He's asking all the right questions ("What is a miracle?") and he's getting the traditions straight, ("When can we light the candles so I can get another present?").

I have a lot to learn about being part of a minority group in America, including the lesson that sometimes it's a lot easier than you think it is going to be.

Max and Dada wearing silly Hanukkah glasses from Grandma Rhona

Hanukkah Cookies

The boys playing with the new train (Thanks, Grandma!)

Eating pizza and latkes at the synagogue Hanukkah party (pizza and latkes???!!!)

Scott's masterpiece track setup (he was devastated when I took it apart to vacuum)

The boys opening Hanukkah presents

Our menorah on the third night