One Dinner Table at a Time

**Farm Hunting Update: We are working on a contract for a house! We have had a few issues arise, but they have steadily resolved. Now we are just waiting on an answer from the lender as to what type of loan we can get. We believe that we are going to be able to keep our current house and rent it out, but since we are acquiring a VA loan, we need to get approval on this. I will keep you updated!!!**

One Dinner Table at a Time

 

 

Isn't the election season exciting!  What a blessing to live in a country where we have the privilege of choosing our leaders!

I have read and heard many people talking about their opinions on the election.  Some were excited and some were sad.  But regardless of your feelings on the results of this year's election, many people feel like our great country is seeped in wrong choices and sin.  And...it is!!  As is every person who lives in the country, or any other one for that matter.  Because this world is full of imperfect people producing imperfect societies and imperfect governments. 

But don't despair!  We are the light of Christ and we can let His light shine through us and into our imperfect lives, societies and governments!  I believe that this change starts at home at the dinner table.

You can easily search the internet and find studies that show dinner time together as a family has health benefits for children.  You are able to control their portions better, encourage them to eat their veggies, etc.

What you might not know are the other benefits to having dinner as a family. In a study by Columbia University (http://www.casacolumbia.org/upload/2010/20100922familydinners6.pdf), it was found that when you compare teens who eat together as a family 5-7 days per week as opposed to those who eat together 3 or fewer times per week, the later group is:

1. Twice as likely to use tobacco
2. Nearly twice as likely to use alcohol
3. One and a half times more likely to use marijuana

They also reported that teens who have family dinners 5 - 7 times per week are almost two times as likely to talk to their parents about what is going on in their lives.

Isn't this amazing!!  Such large return on such little effort!  You don't have to cook a 4 course, gourmet meal to reap these results, you just have to sit down with your frozen dinner, or whatever, and share a meal with your family.

When you turn off the tv, phone, computer, texting and gather together as a family around the table and share dinner, it is a way of letting your child/children know that they are important.  That you WANT to know what they think, what they are doing, how they are feeling.  This gives your family time to discuss current events, schedules, things happening within the family and just time to laugh and share together. 

So what does this look like?  How do we make it work?

1. Make a commitment as a family to sit down at the table and eat together every night:  If you don't make a commitment to this, the first "bump" could knock you off course.  In our family, there are occasional nights where this does not happen, but it is a general rule in our home that from 6-7pm, you are with the family either eating or cleaning the kitchen together. 
2. No interruptions:  If the phone rings, don't answer it.  What a strong message this sends to your children about their importance!  No tv.  It is really hard to have the tv on and not be distracted by it.  Don't bring internet, texting and the like to dinner!  Feed them in a different room by making this be their charging time! :)
3. Plan your dinners:  This is not a must-do, but it sure makes dinner time less stressful if you have a menu or a plan as to what you are going to eat. 
4. Allow your children to help you in preparing the table:  I have found that they enjoy setting the table more if you allow them to make it beautiful in their own eyes.  So we take turns with the girls providing the center-piece for the evening.  Sometimes the younger girls will place a favorite doll in the middle and arrange a scene.  The older girls have made center-pieces with fresh cut flowers.  At some time during the meal, they get to share the idea behind their piece.
5. Take time to be thankful:  We have so much to be thankful for as we look around our dinner table.  We have food, when so many do not.  We have family, when so many eat alone.  This helps breed appreciation within the family.
6. As you dig into your food, dig into your childrens' hearts:  Ask questions and LISTEN to the answers.  If they are hesitant to share, ask fun, light questions such as "Would you rather be a bowl of mashed potatoes, or a baked potato?"  They may look at you like you are insane, but go with it!!  A teen can look at you like you are the craziest person they have ever encountered, but in their heart they are getting the message that you care.
7. Share some of your life with them:  This is a great opportunity to share your ideas on many issues.  Just make sure that you are doing a lot of listening too!
8. Bless your children by having them help in clean-up:  Chores let children know that they are productive members of the family.  Besides teaching work ethic, and team work, they give a clear example of how each family member is needed.  We have six people in our family and it just won't run well if we don't all do our part and work together.  We are all needed.
9. Don't let it stop there!:  If anyone shared prayer requests, remember to pray for them and let them know.  Take what you learned about your family and use that information throughout each day.  Remember to ask about and keep track of what you have all shared.
10. Ditch Perfection!:  Please don't make the mistake of getting hung-up on perfection.  If you don't have a meal planned for one night, eat sandwiches together.  If dad has to work late and can't make it home, make him a plate to save for later and still eat together with your children.  Don't become discouraged if dinner time does not look like what you want it to.  Sometimes our "vision" is off and we need to adjust it.  Sometimes, things just happen and we need to roll with it.
11. Throw in something special at times to mix things up!:  If the weather is nice, eat together outside one evening.  If the weather is cold, have a picnic in front of the fireplace.  Have themed meals, such as fingerfood night, cold foods night, and so on.  We have a special plate that we bring out any time someone needs to be celebrated.  This can be a celebration of a birthday, an accomplishment, or just because we want to!!

So tonight, turn everything off, except your mouths, your ears and your hearts and enjoy dinner together!!

Let's begin to change the world one dinner table at a time!!