Family Dinner

The world is such a busy place today with everyone taking off in their own directions to eat in front of the TV or the computer or in their own rooms. Having dinner together might seem passé today, but it was always important while my kids were growing up. It was a time to relax and enjoy good food while also sharing our day and thoughts with each other; a way to bond. It was another way to keep the lines of communication open. I was often surprised with what the kids were willing to share while eating their favorite foods. I thought maybe it was because comforting foods relaxed the kids and therefore they would open up about things they might otherwise not have. I found it to be a great way to stay on track with what they were up to. The older they got the more they did try to escape to their rooms or to the family room to play Nintendo or PlayStation while they ate. And sometimes they did escape; “come eat at the table” was a constant battle cry of mine. I’d try to lure them back to the table by having “Pizza Night” and “Chinese Take-Out Night.” Once they became old enough to go out on their own they would go out to eat with friends – I was lucky if I got them to the dinner table once a week. It was to be expected I guess, but I will always treasure those days when they were younger and we’d all be at the table together talking and laughing about some silly thing that happened in school or what they were planning to do tomorrow. I miss those times, but I’m sure glad we had them!