Family Meal Time
Family mealtimes have always been important to us as a family. From as soon as Lola was big enough to join us in her highchair and eat, we’ve made it a priority to all eat together. Of course, there are nights Papa is at work and it’s just the girls and I, the odd night when oen fo the girls are at a group and not home for dinner…. but as a whole we eat together every day.
We have a ‘no-technology at the table’ rule… free from any distractions, family meal time is a great way to reconnect, to catch up with each other, to chat about what has been going on, to plan things we’d like to do and just have each others full attention.
No matter how busy daily life gets, I like the rituals of a family meal. We have little traditions that make it special, candles burning in the middle of the table, maybe flowers, homemade napkins, placemats, cutlery, vintage plates. All these little touches make it feel extra special and encourage us to sit, slow down, savour the food and the company.
The girls love to set the table for me, putting out the placemats, picking a napkin for each of us, laying the cutlery. I don’t believe in keeping things for best, as a child I remember my folks having ‘best’ cutlery and crockery that rarely got used. I only have things I love, and those things get used everyday, for everyday is important.
One of the big things the girls love, is having their own cutlery – especially when they’re little, having kiddo sized cutlery can make such a difference – and not the horrible plastic sets you can get either! My princess loving Baya loves this Princess Cutlery set from Viners – perfectly sized for little hands.
Do you eat together as a family? Do you think it’s something that is important?
post in association with Viners
7 Comments
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Rachel Bee
November 9, 2014 at 07:25Oh yes! As best as we’re feasibly able. Having older teens who sleep on weekends so breakfast isn’t a good example. We also have candles, place mats, napkins and flowers if possible (an offshoot from their montessori days!) Technology is banned as are books. It’s a time for reflection and catching up. Now they’re so much older and I’m working we make Sundays sacrosanct and one day a week. Often my middle son cooks once a week too.
Lottie :: Oyster & Pearl
November 9, 2014 at 11:06Yes, absolutely agree with you. As a child, I grew and learned so much at family meals around the table. So important!
laura redburn
November 9, 2014 at 17:14if there’s one positive thing i can take from my childhood, it’s eating our food around the table. sometimes we didn’t even talk but it was still nice in its own way.
Becky
November 10, 2014 at 07:23I do think its really important too, really struggle to get my husband to sit still though!
Jess @ Along Came Cherry
November 10, 2014 at 16:13We always try to but usually I eat with the kids about half an hour before Mr C gets home. We are always too hungry to wait for him! On weekends we eat together though x
Laura
November 11, 2014 at 01:13I think it’s really important to sit together at a table around the same time each night, it’s down time for all of us and we can hear about each others day. We have our table away from anything and also enforce the no-techology rule
Laura x
Fritha
November 11, 2014 at 21:31I think family meals are really important and we are lucky that Tom gets home from work early enough to eat with us. It used to be when we’d all talk about our days. x