For Christians, this week is unlike any other week, and the challenge is to make sure that it is not just like any other week... A recent edition of Catholic Faith and Family offered suggestions to parents of young children on how to make this week different from all the others.

Palm Sunday: fashion little crosses from the blessed palms and have the children hang them in their rooms.

Holy Thursday. At dinner, a glass of red grape juice and a piece of plain bread broken for each member of the family. Read from the Bible about the Last Supper, or just tell the little ones about it.

Good Friday. Hot-cross buns for breakfast - if you haven't given up pastries for Lent. This is a day of Fast and Abstinence, and that should be explained to the children. A red covering (from Christmas?) on the dining room table, with a crucifix on it all day long. Place four not-yet-blooming white petunias, impatiens or other young plants around the cross. Planted outside in a Jesus Garden on Holy Saturday or Easter morning, the flowers will remind children all summer long of the new life that came from Jesus' death. No radio, TV or video-games, especially between noon and three o'clock, and tell the children why.

Holy Saturday. Hot-cross buns for breakfast, if you didn't have them yesterday. Children should help prepare the Easter baskets. In our church you have the opportunity to bring the children to see the statue of Jesus in the grave. Use this opportunity to teach children that death is not the end of life. Jesus rose again and so will a recently-deceased relative....