I have been going about dinner all the wrong way I have discoverd. Up until now I have had a 'come and get it if you'd like it' sort of dinner bell. An "It's done! Who's hungry" approach. Eat at the bar, sit if you will, Ruby on lap, Tali with no beans kind of malay. This technique has lead to many an evening of serious crankiness. Mostly on my part. For a long time I could not put my finger on where the problem did lie. I think I've got it now.
Goal: (or a few goals, clumped into one)
- To have dinner prepared at or about 6ish. (Regrettably this is often pre-Daddy!) This is when little girls get hungry, and if dinner is to much later than this then the whining begins and the giving in occurs and little tummies are filled with chocolate milk and string cheese and fishy crackers. Dinner is no longer needed for those little tummies by 7:30, which leads to plates dished and then untouched, food flinging, force feeding, and/or tantrums, melt downs and weeping. I eat my dinner cold. (I wonder to myself at this time, "Why are my children such monsters?)
- Set the table. Practice good table manners.
- Pray before we begin, always.
I want dinner to be a happy time. A time to connect and love each other. To slow down and enjoy. Maybe not every night, I am only human. (And I love Pizza on the coffee table in front of a good movie!) But here in is where I feel I can change the mood of our evenings.
Tonight we had Mom Norrs' Tomato Macaroni soup. (Which I took a swell picture of to share but it will not load. Imagine if you will, a colorful soup with wheel noodles! Fun.) Several wheels ended up on the floor, and Tali tried to spit out her carrots, but was caught! This evening went well. All in bed now, peacefully.
Peace out!
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