When I was in high school, one night I spent the night at my best friend's house. It happened to be what her family referred to as "take out night." Her dad asked me what I wanted for dinner and I asked "Well, where are you going?" I was confused when his response was, "Any where you want." My friend explained that on "take out night" everyone picked what they wanted, even if it was from seperate resetarurants, and then her dad would go pick up everything. So, it didn't matter if one person wanted pizza and someone else wanted Chinese and another wanted Mexican. On that one night, every month or so, everyone got exactly what they wanted, and then they all ate their selections together. This never would have flown at my house. It didn't matter if McDonald's and Burger Kind were right next to each other, we all had to agree on one restaraunt when eating out or getting take out. But, my friend's family found their own tradition that shook-up the routine and helped create great memories.

I have been enjoying all of the comments that all of you have made on Facebook about your thoughts on the importance of family meals and the many different ways your families make meal times work for you. Some families eat at the same time every night, no questions asked. Some have more flexible meal times, depending on schedules. Some families have one night a week when, for a special treat, they take their dinners into the family room to watch a favorite show.

With all of the reading I have been doing on this topic, I have realized that many people have very strong opinions on what Family Meal Times should look like. Some authors have written lists of "rules" for family meal times that they believe everyone should follow. Of course, if everyone in your family is sitting at the table texting, watching You Tube and talking on the phone, that defeats the purpose of eating together. However, like with everything, you need to find what works best for your family. The important thing, in my opinion, is that your family is sitting down together, sharing a meal, and having some quality time together. Outside of that, the sky is the limit. So, find what works for you. And, every once in a while, switch it up. Be creative. Have fun. After all, it's your table!