Typical Dinner Scene in Our Home:
I spend time making the food, anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. I am deliberate in assuring there are plenty of vegetables, and I serve only water to drink. I make sure there are healthy options on the table --I don't want anyone to go hungry just because they are picky!
It takes several tries to get #4 to set the table (one of his few chores). Usually his father has to get involved. When he FINALLY sets the table, we sit down. It takes a minute or so for everyone to settle down and then Brandon calls on someone to pray (if #4 hasn't already started saying it, because, wonderfully, he loves to pray!). Then it begins. #2, #3, and #4 hate most of everything on the table. #5 eats his food by adopting osmosis --he's covered in seconds. #3's sensory issues start off and he usually ends up in another room until everyone is done eating before he'll eat his food. #1 tries to have great conversation with #2 and her parents but it's constantly interrupted by all three boys. #4 usually screams about something and #5 usually throws food. Within 10 minutes, Brandon and I are finished eating; the kids proceed to take for-ev-er. Getting the kids to clean up takes more persuasion and a lot more time.
Tonight I calculated it. Tonight I cooked for one hour. We ate for 10 minutes. We cleaned up for one hour.
I know there's gotta be a metaphor for life and hard work or whatever in there, but tonight it just made me tired.
Today's Grammar Pet Peeves:
Lose/Loose --people, if you "loose" something, it gets less tight. If you "lose" something, it is lost. Seriously, this is simple phonetics!
Bath/Bathe --You take a "bath." You "bathe" someone. Honestly, if I see another mother write how she will "bath" her kid, I will freak! Again, it's simple phonetics!
Latest Books and Movies:
Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman
(Great book; gonna use it for my book club this next month. Was recommended by Susan!)
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
(Very sad, but very well written.)
Murder in Mesopotamia by Agatha Christie
(Still reading it; love Agatha.)
where she went by Gayle Forman
(Sequel to if i stay.)
(Highly recommended. I really loved it, and it kept Brandon riveted--not an easy task!)
I'm Missing:
#2. She's still in California and won't be home until Thursday. I miss her so much!
9 comments:
Your dinner time sounds exactly like our dinner time. Ours usually starts with several minutes of fighting about who gets to say the prayer, followed by sulking by the kid who didn't get to say the prayer. Sigh. I've been trying to find ways to cut the prep time for dinner and I'm not always successful.
And if you're ever looking for good book ideas, did you know that the library has a review blog?
http://provolibrarystaffreviews.blogspot.com/
There's usually a pretty good variety of books on there and it gets updated regularly. If you click on the title in the post it should link to the online catalog.
My book club is doing Sarah's Key in a few months and I don't think I can handle talking about it. I read some pretty heavy stuff, but for some reason that book really got to me.
I wonder if you just have too many choices on the table. Also, kids are smart... they won't let themselves starve to death. So, perhaps if they refuse to eat, they can excuse themselves from the table and just sit quietly on the couch. When they're ready to rejoin the family, they can and no griping. If they choose not to rejoin when everyone is done. Well, they'll have to wait until the next meal. We do this in our family and sure, there was a transitional phase before they finally got that we were serious about it.
Good luck though!
Haha! I have so many grammar/spelling pet peeves. One that yours made me think of is breath/breathe. You take a breath and you breathe in and out. :) Ah, thanks for letting me get that off my chest.
I loved you're post. I'm sure their are many families out they're who go threw the same things every nite. I think its great what you do just to make sure you have dinner with your family.
I hope you get everything I'm saying, as it was very difficult to right. ;)
I'm so glad you posted this. At our house it's the oldest and the youngest who wont eat anything. The youngest wont stay seated. The middle chews with her mouth open and elbows on the table. No one tries to make conversation but the husband and me. The kids spend most of it trying to get each other in trouble. It's very frustrating. I keep hearing about how good it is to have family dinners though so I keep doing it. :)
I'm with you on the grammar.
I also thought that Sarah's Key was horribly sad. It was good though. I'll look into the others. I just finished a John Grisham book - haven't read one of his in years. I also read "The Other Wes Moore" by Wes Moore and it was good.
Ah, dinner. Dinner, dinner, dinner.
I'm saving your book list. You know, for when I read a book again -- seriously - it's been too long! I am determined to finish Count of Monte Cristo, though, so there is that.
Dinner is SO MUCH WORK. Actually, feeding the kids in general is just so much work. My kids are constantly hungry yet pick at everything -- even if it's their favorite meal. ugh!
ps - hope i didn't offend you w/ the parking spot thing :) agree to disagree? haha.
Dinner is and seems to always be an issue :) Kids were meant to try our patience. lol
So these sensory issues thing your son has - I have a team of people that I work with that specialize in helping families and children with that. Call me if you want more info :)
I always have a variety of things to eat, but no more than 4-5 things. If my kids don't like it and complain they are excused to their room. If they don't use good manners they are excused to the time out chair, if they decide to change their attitude and behave they are welcomed back to the table. Family dinner is big fat chaos, but so important...it will get easier as they get older!
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