Tradition...

Last night was one of those nights that I just didn't feel like cooking, so my plan was to throw the frozen deep dish pizza my husband, Rene, brought home from his business trip to Chicago in the oven and call it good. To my frustration, as I read the directions, I realized the pizza needed to be thawed OVERNIGHT! So, I jumped to Plan B, which was to call Rene and ask him to pick something up. As we were waiting for Rene, Mariana, our 2 1/2 year old daughter, became quite hungry and just couldn't wait anymore. I fixed her a cheese quesadilla and put it on the table. She looked at it, looked at where Rene usually sits and said, "But, Mommy. Daddy eats with us."
It warmed my heart! I was proud and excited that my 2 year old daughter already had the feeling that something wasn't quite right if we weren't all eating together. She was already recognizing when a family tradition was being broken. There are many times throughout the day that I question whether I am doing the "right thing" when it comes to parenting. But, at that moment, I knew that I'd done something right.

I plan to address the following in my posts:

• Tips and inspiration to get you started or help you continue in your mission to bring your family to the table
• Delicious, easy and family-friendly meals
• Games, acitivities and conversation starters that can be incorporated into your family meals, to keep things interesting and fresh

But, before we get into all of that, I think it is important to understand why all of the effort of cooking, coordinating, setting family expectations, etc is worth it. According to an article entitled "Family Dinners Are Important" by Jeanie Lerche Davis, children from families who eat together regularly are less likely to become obese, are less likely to try alcohol or cigarettes and are less likely to experiment with illegal drugs. Children from these families are also more likely to talk with their parents about big problems that occur at school or with friends and they tend to have higher self-esteem. But, children aren't the only ones who feel the benefits. As a whole, families who eat together regularly eat healthier meals and experience less tension.

These facts barely scrape the surface of what countless studies have shown. I have included the links to a couple articles below so you can read up on this topic at your leisure. But, what is more significant to me than stats and numbers is the reaction I have been receiving when I tell people what I'm doing. One post on Facebook about my new blog triggered a flood of comments from people who remebered sharing meals with their families regularly. They were all excited to share stories and memories of family dinners from when they were growing up. Many of these people have their own families and are continuing the tradition. Those that don't have children yet say they plan to make family meals a priority when they do have kids. In my mind, when adult children want to continue something their parents did with them, that speaks louder than anything else.

Here are the links to 2 articles I found online:
http://children.webmd.com/guide/family-dinners-are-important
http://www.foxnews.com/imag/Food/8+Reasons+to+Make+Time+for+Family+Dinner

Another great resource I have found is the book The Family Dinner: Great way to Connect with your Kids, One Meal at a Time, by Laurie David. This book is filled with stories, interviews, recipes and tips to make family meal time fun and enjoyable.

Whether you are continuing or starting the tradition of family meals, these resources will inspire and energize you...at the table.

It begins...at the table

About a year ago, I was out to dinner with my husband and daughter. A family with 3 young children (probably between the ages of 2 and 6) entered the restaurant and were seated a couple table from us.  Before drink orders were even taken, the mother took out a tote bag and removed three electronic devices with headphones, which she handed to each of her children (yes, even to the 2 year old!). Once the children were plugged in, the husband and wife sat, talking quietly with each other. I kept watching their table, thinking when the waitress comes to take orders, they'll have the kids put their devices down. And then, when the food comes, they'll put them away. But, to my surprise, when the food came, the electronics did not get put away. The 3 kids ate while they continued to play or watch their screens. I was appalled! In fact, I was about ready to march over to that table and let those parents know what they were depriving their kids of, like opportunities to talk, listen, learn manners and strengthen social skills, all while sharing a meal with their family. It's probably a good thing that my husband held me back. But, obviously, that has stayed with me, even a year later, and has made me aware that many parents don't know what they are missing, or what their kids are missing, by not sharing a meal (with both food and conversation) with their children.

 This blog has come about for a few different reasons. The first is out of requirement. In addition to being a wife, mother of 1 (and 1 on the way), and a full-time special education teacher, I am also a graduate student pursuing my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education. I am currently taking a class entitled Teacher as Child Advocate and Adult Educator. For this class, I was asked to select a topic that I am passionate about and that I feel is important to Early Childhood development and to advocate for this cause in some way. The importance of families eating and sharing dinner (or lunch or breakfast) together immediately came to mind. Sharing a family meal is something my family did when I was growing up almost everyday. Dinner was at 6:30 every night, and it was non-negotiable. Music lessons, dance classes, swim practice, and all of the other activities were scheduled around that dinner time. As my sisters and I got older, my parents understood that some activities would keep us away from home at that dinner time. When possible, meal time was adjusted. Sometimes, we ate without a family member, but we all knew, if we could be home for dinner, that was the expectation.

The idea that families sharing regular meals together reaps many benefits is not new. Just for fun, I Googled "Benefits of Family Dinner" today and thousands of articles popped up, touting everything from better grades to improved self-esteem to teenagers who are less likely to smoke pot, all from sharing dinner with their families at least 3 nights a week. So, if regular family meals is so important and so beneficial, why don't more families make this a common practice?

This brings to my goals for doing this blog:
1. To raise awareness. Many parents know sharing dinner with their families is important, but, as evidenced by my example above, obviously not everyone does.
2. To provide support. Once parents know that regular family dinners are important, I will provide tips, tricks and resources to help overcome obstacles that often interfere with a regular meal time.
3. Create a network. It is my hope that all of you will share your experiences (both triumphs and pitfalls) family-friendly recipes, dinner conversation starters and much more, both on the comment board and on Facebook.

It is my belief that all parents want what is best for their children. Unfortunately, many pressures and expectations pull all of us, and our familes, in many directions everyday. Sitting down everyday to share a meal, if even for 20 minutes, can provide many benefits to a family. Whether you are a "family dinner veteran" or you are trying to add this important tradition to your family's routine, let me show you how...at the table.