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In this day of busy lifestyles and fast food family dinner hours often get lost in the shuffle. They remain, however, one of the best rated ways to connect with your children. Here are a few tips for reviving the old-time tradition, spicing it up to fit into your modern
day life, and including your children along the way.
Go Into Business - There's nothing cooler to kids than ordering off a menu, it's like eating out every night. To accomplish this cool-factor at home consider taking menu planning to the next level. Once a week (or bi-weekly, or even monthly whatever works for you) sit down and make a plan. List seven (or more, one per day you're planning for) meals and buy groceries from that list. Each day ask your family to order one meal, as a family and make it for them that evening. Bonus: Menu planning will save you time, money and stress in the long run. No more wasted food, or "what's for dinner" whines and best of all - no more last minute trips to the store because you forgot something - again!
There's no I in Team - Include your children and spouse in the dinner prep. Kids as young as 2 (and under) can put napkins on the table, stir certain ingredients, hand you spice containers, be in charge of listening for the oven timer, etc. Older children can take part by mixing, measuring (great math lesson), setting the table, clearing the table, helping with dishes, etc. Taking part will not only increase the quality time your children get to spend with you but it will give them a sense of ownership in the meal, increasing the chance they'll be happy to eat it and fostering a great sense of self accomplishment when they get to eat what they've made. Bonus: Less work overall for the already overworked mom in us all, and kids learn responsibility.
Pencil it in - Reserving the time in your busy schedule just as you would any other appointment helps to remind you that it is a priority and ensures you'll have the time to spare. Pencil it into your weeks first add other nightly activities around it and encourage your spouse and children to do the same.
Take Time Out - Turn off the TV, radio, ringers, blackberrys, pagers, the IMs, and anything else you have that will rob you of the time you've set aside, you wouldn't answer your phone in the middle of a doctor's appointment, grant your children the same respect.
Keep Talking - To help keep conversation rolling throughout dinner try playing a question game. The basic how was your day can only take you so far so dig a littler deeper with specifics, what did you work on in Math class? for example and when that conversation runs out get creative. One of my fondest memories from the dinner table as a child was the year my mom bought (at a garage sale even if I remember correctly - this doesn't have to be expensive) a set of cards, they each had a theoretical question on them; "What would you do with a million dollars?" "If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go and why?", etc. Each night one of us would draw a random card and read the question aloud and then each family member would answer it, we learned alot about and from eachother at dinner that year. You could make your own cards, or look for a set to buy.
Whatever you do make sure this time is fun, light, and not something you dread. Family time is meant to reconnect the members that are participating in it, leave the stressors at the door and take the time to just relax, if it's not fun mix it up and try new things - your children will thank you for it in the long run.
(October 2006) (
