True confessions time: When I think about Chol HaMoed trips, part of what comes to mind is pressure. Pressure to have the best, most exciting trips ever – while also cleaning up from Yom Tov, preparing for the next Yom Tov, and, oh right, working! What are we obligated to do for Chol HaMoed outings? And how do we find the right balance between making our kids happy, and keeping ourselves sane?
One of my favorite psychology concepts is “good enough parenting.” Coined by developmental pediatrician Daniel Winnicott in 1953, good enough parenting stands for the idea that by parenting imperfectly, we actually prepare our children better for their future lives – especially because they likely will not be surrounded by perfect spouses, co-workers, bosses or neighbors.
So, this Chol HaMoed, embrace being “good enough.” Trips can be a mix of high cost and low cost, more intensity and less. We can explain to our kids that work, cooking, and – it’s true – managing our own energy factor into our plans. Will it be as fun as Six Flags every day? Probably not. But they just might be better off for it.