Template.baseDialog.onCreated(function(){ this.editing = new ReactiveVar(!!this.data.startEditing); }); Template.baseDialog.helpers({ editing: function(){ return Template.instance().editing.get() && canEditCharacter(Template.parentData().charId); }, showEdit: function() { if (this.hideEdit) return false; return canEditCharacter(Template.parentData().charId); }, }); Template.baseDialog.events({ "tap #backButton": function(){ popDialogStack(); }, "tap #editButton": function(event, instance){ instance.editing.set(true); }, "tap #doneEditingButton": function(event, instance){ instance.editing.set(false); }, });