What do you remember your family’s suppertime or foods?

If you I ask my husband about his mother’s food, wonderful feelings surround her homemade pizza.  It was the best time to bring his buddies home so he could show off his mama’s homemade pizza.  As far as he was concerned, her spaghetti sauce was magical.

Mine was coming home to dowels loaded with freshly, fried donuts, dripping glaze.  Mom always made mouth-watering, labor-intensive desserts, which would finish our meals.  I envied kids who had rice crispy treats and brownies. Nowhere in my Sicilian and Polish home would you find a brownie or rice crispy treat.   On the properly set, supper table was the most sumptuous meal made with quality ingredients and much love.  Now, here’s the news!  On his properly set table, nothing matched: not dishes, glasses or nor silverware, but it was laid out appropriately.  We found nothing odd with not having napkins per se.  We had a “mopina” (dishtowel)  or two which we passed between seven people.  It was fine.  We ate carefully I guess.

Why is this blog entry about food?  Mealtime is very important to your child’s identity.  I will explain this in the next blog entry.  

Your assignment:                                                                                                                                                                              Begin sitting around that thing in the kitchen, called the table.  If you already do, great!  Here’s the best part. The meal doesn’t have to be homemade, even take-out works.  Just make sure there’s an effort to place things in serving dishes, (soup bowls, dishes), anything but the pan or package.  Talk about their day and yours.  

If dinner is provided before you get the kids home, then plan to sit at the table with some type of snack.  If the snack doesn’t require utensils, just put out a dish, napkin and serve the snack on dish.  No paper plates.  Open the cupboard door and take out a dish.   This small, sit-down time must be deliberate.  I promise it is important.  NO electronics.

Finally, require the kids to help with clean up after the meal.  The task should be appropriate to their ages. Please just trust me on this one.  Set the table, sit at the table and discuss everyone’s day, especially yours. 

OH YES!  You may have battle, but you are the adult and it’s your house, so you’re the boss.  If your family is unaccustomed to setting together, time together may be a short at first, but make sure you insist on sitting.  If the best you can do is get the kids at the table with the food, settle for that.  .

In a few days the explanation.