Family Dinner Time…a big thumbs up!

Family Dinner Time

As much as we think we don’t have enough time to all eat together as a family, take into consideration these facts:

Family dinner time brings us all together. Being together gives a sense of belonging when we share food, conversation, even if children poke or punch each other under the table. News be can shared with everyone present giving us a time to bond in ways that can’t happen if we are all in our own little world away from each other.

Family Dinner Time Was Non-Negotiable for Us

In our home it was a non-negotiable that we would all sit down at dinner together and thank God for our food around the table. Of course, they needed something to all eat together and that meant someone had to cook. I’d often try to come up with ideas at the last minute finding it was not successfully accomplished. My next idea was to plan ahead by making a menu for each day of the week.  Put the ingredients on a list for each of those days and then go shopping. It worked beautifully! For all those meal makers, there’s an excellent app that will aid you with the shopping list and so much more. Cozi is free until you want more of what they offer. The great idea for my husband and myself is that when he also put the Cozi app on his phone, we could both see each others lists and delete whatever we picked up as we shopped. I knew what he wanted and vice versa. Back when we had the kids at home having dinner together, it was all paper, pencil and remembering to take the list with you.

Family Dinner Time Brought Out the Crazies in Us

When we were at the dinner table (not in front of the TV or the TV on and now no headphones, no tablets, etc.), we’d share our day with each other. The children were exposed to good china and silverware at times to teach them about proper use of napkins, etc.  We even had them pull out chairs for each other as we only had one girl, and of course had to be aware of the jokers that would pull it out quickly before the other child could sit in it. Speaking of jokes, there were a few times Dad was the recipient of them. He’d come home a little late, so the kids would put together a sandwich or hot dog and bun. The sandwich would have cardboard in it and the hot dog was a fake along with a couple of real ones. Made for an exciting, loud laughing dinner for all of us. Parents had to be vigilant to each ones feelings and not do any pranking on the sensitive child or the retaliating one. In other words, be watchful about ‘things getting out of hand’.

Family Dinner Time…a Fantastic Tradition

We all look back on those times and see how valuable it was. I hope our children bring this tradition along with them into their families. Even though teens believe they should be able to do what they want, when they want…it’s important to keep those boundaries. They may fuss and fight over the idea, wanting to go with friends instead. Eventually, that communication that was fostered at your dinner table will either grow, or disappear. My thought is keep the family dinner time around a table with all present. It might start out chaotic when the kids are young, but as they grow it will accomplish what you set out to do….be a closer family with respect for each other. It’s rare in a such a busy, media filled world.

How do you do your family meals?  Are those family times reserved for all of you together?