Around tables all across the world families sit together to eat meals, pray, talk, learn, and listen to one another. It is a time to share about the day. To learn how to listen. To learn how to talk. To learn about relationships, how to treat one another, and how to be polite. It is a place to learn manners, and more about each other. Eating and being in relationships are both human needs. Family meals are a great way to share experiences, learn routines, and appreciate loved ones.
My family is like most American families with three teens and one preteen. We have 3 sports practices a week, one evening of piano, one evening of my Master’s Class, one evening of physical therapy, and not much time around the table. I miss being a stay at home mom. I had time to prepare ideas for meals, grocery shop, run errands, make doctors/dentist/physical therapy appointments. Time to walk my children to and from school, do homework together, and make a hot dinner every evening (Ok almost every evening). I didn’t go back to work until my oldest started high school and my youngest was in 3rd grade. They are more independent and appreciative when we actually have the time to have dinner together as a family. We still do that at least a few evenings a week and I cherish those moments spent around that table.
I know how difficult it is to juggle schedules, between me and my children we are on 5 different school schedules. Believe me when I say choose at least one day a week to be together as a family and have a meal it is extremely important time together. The simplicity of being together around a table, sharing a meal is priceless.
