I don't even remember why, but a few years ago we sort of stopped eating dinner at the table. I'm sure it had something to do with the mess of schooling and not wanting to take the time to pull apart projects to put things away when we'd just want them out again the next day. So we got into the habit of eating in the living room. With dinner, we'd put on a movie and just eat and watch with very little talking.
Every now and again I'd say that we should eat at the table more often (we did still eat at the table once or twice a month, but as we went along it got less and less often), but the habit of eating in the living room was already established.
A few weeks ago I asked the kids to set the table for dinner and got nothing but a chorus of moans, groans and snarky commentary. In a fit of frustration I yelled at them that we would eat every single meal at the table from now on until they stopped grumping about it.
At first they resented having to clear and set the table three times a day. They grumped and complained and pitched fits every chance they had, but I stood firm to my decision and within just a few days they weren't cranky about it anymore.
It's been almost a month and the benefits have been great! Firstly, the dining room table is easy to keep clean because it only has a couple of hours to get messy before it we have to clean it again! Yeah, it's a pain to clean up our school stuff just to get it out again after lunch, but the kids don't seem to mind too much.
Secondly, we're spending every mealtime together, talking and playing and sharing our thoughts. I know we spend a lot of time together, but when we're all scattered around the house and yard it's hard to really connect. This time together has allowed us to all slow down and really appreciate each other. Plus, at dinner time we've started a sort of game. Before they can get away from the table, each person has to do something fun or silly. One day the kids each had to choose a parent to arm wrestle before they could get up from the table. Another time they all had to make silly noises and faces. It's a fun little game that gives us an excuse to laugh at ourselves and each other.
Finally, portion control is much easier to maintain when we're all around the table. Not only am I able to clearly see how much each kid is eating, but I'm also more likely to go out of my way to watch my portion sizes!
Eating together at the table has proved to be a wonderful addition to our usual routines! I encourage each of you to sit together and share a meal with someone you love!
