Family dinners are a must at our house. Scratch that. Family breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are a must at our house.
Occasionally, things come up and we are always flexible, but our norm is to sit together.
There are days when our meals are filled with our 10-month-old’s ear-piercing shrieks (her method of communication at the moment), our toddler’s drink spilling, food throwing, or her own shrieks to respond to her sister – and my husband and I exchange our “We’ll talk later” looks. So, believe me, it’s not always easy.
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During mealtimes, we nourish our body and provide it with fuel, but for our family, it’s so much more than that.
Mealtimes are for sharing thoughts, ideas, stories, you name it. It’s a dedicated time to spend with others.
I’m from Spain, and in Spain, most people go home to have lunch with their family. Lunchtime in Spain is similar to dinnertime in the United States. Families cook and sit down together every day before going back to work.
Lunchtime is not a big event for most people in the United States. My family finds a happy middle between the two customs. During lunchtime, you’ll find my kids and I sitting at the table eating and talking. On days when my husband works from home, he, too will join us if he is available. We do the same for breakfast, and we all sit together for dinner.
This is the way my husband and I want to raise our kids. We want to talk to them – hear their thoughts, ideas, and stories. Mealtimes are opportunities for us to spend time with our kids and get to know them better.
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There’s no better place to do this than at the table.
Not only do my kids learn table manners by watching my husband and I eat with them, but they also learn how to listen, take turns talking, and tell stories. It’s during these times when my toddler learns how to ask and answer questions like, “How was your day?” or “What did you do today?” I have helped my toddler tell my husband about our day since she was young, and now, she is able to retell different parts of her day – and it’s beautiful to hear. Something so seemingly simple improves her communication, informs my husband of our day, and lets me know what events impacted my little girl.
I also want to instill healthy eating habits. We’ve all skipped meals because we’ve been too busy. I’m also willing to bet I’m not the only one who has shoved a couple of crackers in my mouth in between tasks and called it “lunch”. Although there are some days when we have to get creative with the way we feed our body, we have to teach kids that our body is worthy of a break. Even if it’s only 20 minutes.
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Kids are also more likely to try new food if they see it served at the table and see you eating it. My husband and I don’t just keep our kids company during mealtimes, we have an active role and eat with them.
This isn’t always easy to do, but nevertheless, we do it for the family.
Because above everything I have mentioned, the mealtimes we spend together create a sense of family. They create a sense of togetherness and community. We sometimes prepare the meal together, we set the table together, and we eat together. No phones, no TV, no music – just our voices. It’s a time when everyone should have a turn to speak because no matter what story they have, it is always worth sharing.
Bon appétit!
