The Dinner Table

My middle school aged son gets in the car at the end of the day. After a quick hello and update of the day’s happenings, the dialogue is always the same two exact questions, “What are we having for dinner?” followed immediately by, “Is everyone home tonight?” Simple questions at face value...... but really so much more.
Most nights, the answer is yes, we do sit down and eat as a family. In between sporting events, play practices, dance, singing, homework, work, meetings or whatever commitments keep us running in different directions, we eat together. And most nights my answer consists of a meal, both organic and yummy. His smile exhibits his approval. But we do our favorite carryout sometimes (CPK) , and other times dinner is just the very handy and always easy pasta and marinara sauce.
But what we all count on is that whether we have to eat early or late ....it doesn’t matter. We consistently sit down TOGETHER and the outside world is put at bay at least for this brief moment . I dim the lights, light candles, in the winter the fire makes us feel cozy and in the warmer months the huge windows that surround us are opened and fresh air breezes through the room. No electronics allowed with the exception of soft, smooth jazz music that we have playing most evenings. Why not make it feel special with these easy touches?
Our nightly ritual is everyone sharing their HIGH/Low of the day. Everyone has a voice, we feel connected....... feeding our bodies as well as our minds. My children cherish the safety of this ritual as much as i do.
Sunday night, which seems to now be our least busy night, has turned into CookingNight, a tradition we have all come to treasure. We choose several amazing meals from Cooking Light Magazine, which i also call my bible. The recipes are delicious AND healthy. When the kids were small, my husband and i did most of the work..... the recipe selection, the prep, the cooking. But as the kids have grown, so have the tasks they take on. But even small people can grate parmesan cheese or frost a cupcake. Now, there is really no task they cannot do. However, perhaps most importantly, they have all learned the beauty of taking fresh ingredients and creating and savoring an incredible meal from scratch. The amount of prep and work involved in this endeavor make the meal that much more special. AND there is nothing more satisfying then when we all sit down to “our” meal. And our comment is (almost) aways the same - our meals are outstanding - restaurant quality and sometimes better. On our Cooking Nights , we have finally gotten smart, and now prep meals for at least three nights for when the craziness of the week once again begins. Usually we trade off who picks the meals, and that designated person is in charge of assigning tasks to everyone. Sometimes this is not always smooth, but that too is part of the experience. And it is so much fun to watch how the kids are not intimidated by any recipe.
Research shows the family meal is a lost art. Families are too over scheduled with activities and running in too many directions. Fast food is often the norm, eaten much of the time on the go. And even when families are home, they eat in front of the TV or off on their own. Research also shows, that those kids who DO sit down to family dinners are less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs.
Now why do you think that is?
Perhaps sit down at The Dinner Table, sideline the electronics, talk with your kids, and see what happens. It won’t always be smooth, and bad moods sometimes override good intentions. But plow through it. It’s so worth it ........It is perfect in it’s imperfection.....The Dinner Table.