I have heard and read so much about how beneficial sitting down as a family to eat is, especially at dinner time. I remember as A kid how my Dad would enforce manners and proper dress for girls as well as boys. No burping or gross stories allowed. No slouching or slurping, always chew with your mouth closed. I do the same, but I wanted it to be more because I also have such fond memories of the times shared around our kitchen table. So with out announcing to my kids that we had a new plan I just started by asking my kids 3 and up to ask a question to another sibling or Mom and Dad. It can be anything from your favorite color to how bad or good your day was. It was rough going at first.I am now AMAZED at how my kids will do it by themselves, no prompting needed. They are becoming quite the little conversationalist. We have always have Sundays discussions center around what they have learned in primary. This one is lead by me. I also try and ask a lot of questions especially to anyone who has been at school or gone somewhere during the day. I always ask how their day was and what the best part was and if they met someone new or learned something new? Daddy is not always home for dinner but he is always at the breakfast table with us. We have Scripture study around the table too and family prayer each morning. I love reading the scriptures to my kids and hearing how some hero in The Book of Mormon or the Bible made a brave or righteous choice and if some one has made a bad choice they can recognize that too. They constantly say, "That was not nice." or "That was not a good choice." I am sooo happy that they are listening and recognizing the difference between right and wrong. I want time spent together at the table with our family all together to be a time that bonds them. My hope is that they will learn to be interested in others lives and to hopefully learn to be good listeners, something I need to be better at myself.I hope it fosters a love for their siblings and a sense of togetherness that will help them when the big bad world rears it ugly head and they need a place to feel safe and protected. I want them to know they have their brothers and Sisters to turn to, that they care about them and will be there for them. I know it seems ideal, and nothing is, but it worked for my parents on a smaller scale so I pray the extra effort I am taking pays off today for my family and also in the future.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Table Talk
I have heard and read so much about how beneficial sitting down as a family to eat is, especially at dinner time. I remember as A kid how my Dad would enforce manners and proper dress for girls as well as boys. No burping or gross stories allowed. No slouching or slurping, always chew with your mouth closed. I do the same, but I wanted it to be more because I also have such fond memories of the times shared around our kitchen table. So with out announcing to my kids that we had a new plan I just started by asking my kids 3 and up to ask a question to another sibling or Mom and Dad. It can be anything from your favorite color to how bad or good your day was. It was rough going at first.I am now AMAZED at how my kids will do it by themselves, no prompting needed. They are becoming quite the little conversationalist. We have always have Sundays discussions center around what they have learned in primary. This one is lead by me. I also try and ask a lot of questions especially to anyone who has been at school or gone somewhere during the day. I always ask how their day was and what the best part was and if they met someone new or learned something new? Daddy is not always home for dinner but he is always at the breakfast table with us. We have Scripture study around the table too and family prayer each morning. I love reading the scriptures to my kids and hearing how some hero in The Book of Mormon or the Bible made a brave or righteous choice and if some one has made a bad choice they can recognize that too. They constantly say, "That was not nice." or "That was not a good choice." I am sooo happy that they are listening and recognizing the difference between right and wrong. I want time spent together at the table with our family all together to be a time that bonds them. My hope is that they will learn to be interested in others lives and to hopefully learn to be good listeners, something I need to be better at myself.I hope it fosters a love for their siblings and a sense of togetherness that will help them when the big bad world rears it ugly head and they need a place to feel safe and protected. I want them to know they have their brothers and Sisters to turn to, that they care about them and will be there for them. I know it seems ideal, and nothing is, but it worked for my parents on a smaller scale so I pray the extra effort I am taking pays off today for my family and also in the future.
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9 comments:
This is so important! You won't ever be sorry. It's a time to teach, and learn to talk about many subjects..families are losing the art of communicating face to face.
They will learn to love it too. On the nights that we've been crazy busy and haven't sat down to dinner as a family, but instead grabbed something and ran, Connor always asks when we're going to have dinner. Even if it's 9:00 at night. He thinks if we haven't sat at the table together it's not dinner. He keeps me on track. I always ask them what was good about their day too.
Such a good idea.
We need to work on our Dinner time over here as well.
Sitting in front of the TV watching it while eating is NOT dinner time.
I remember sitting around the table too! I wish mom and dad still had the big school table! I loved it!!! TONS of memories:) I was just thinking about this same thing the other day and wishing I could do more of those things in our house! I did some of the same things when the older two were younger. IT is really hard now that they are older and going in all different directions. The extra effort will pay off as they become teenagers because they will know and be able to talk with you.
Aaaaaah, Tradition! I loved that old school table and the formality and ritual of mealtime. Good for you for passing it on! I could use one of those old school tables myself now!!!
Aaaah, TRADITION!!! I loved that old school table and the formality and ritual of mealtime! Good for you for passing it on!!!! I could use one of those old fashioned school tables myself now!
YOU are such a great mommy!!!! We always eat around the table as well...mostly because my kids can be slobs and I don't want to clean the whole house after they eat....but we do all this stuff too. I guess I just didn't realize how important it was till I read this post! :) Thanks for helping me see that something I am doing is good and hopefully will be instilled in my kiddos forever....I still think they don't listen 95% of the time during scripture study! How do you get your kids to listen so well??? See, you are super mom! :)
love these ideas. a tradition we've started is everyone goes around and says their favorite thing and their worst thing from the day. sometimes they need prompted to remember things but this makes them think and remember the important things of the day.
Like Shelley (above) we have also been doing that for about a year now. We go around the table and ask what the best part of everyone's day was. It's amazing because I find that my six year old wants to share so much more then than he does right after I pick him up from school.
Hopefully it's something they enjoy and will carry on to their families!
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