TABLE TALK

Dinner time around the Shelton household has never been all that...ummmm.... organized, shall we say? The Mr. works late most every night, so when I do cook a big meal he usually is found eating it out of the tupperware dish, late at night long after the kids have been put to bed. So the whole stay at home mom expected to cook a big meal every night really does not fly 'round here. And the Mr. is actually very understanding about this for the most part.

Because of all this, our dinners most often consist of PBJ's with a side of carrots and some chips, or chicken nuggets with a side of corn, mac n' cheese, frozen pizza's, and occasionally we will do take out. And worse yet, these ever so fanciful meals are eaten on their respective couches, chairs, or wherever they choose while watching a movie or cartoon of some sort.

I know, I know, it is bad. But no judging is allowed unless you know what it is like to have a husband that tends to get home after the kids are in bed and goes to work right after breakfast each morning.

So like I said, I know this is bad. I am creating some bad habits with my kids as far as dinner time goes, I don't like it one bit, and it needs to change.

When I was young dinner time was always very important. Each night at 5:30pm, my Mom would call for us to come in from riding bikes, or whatever it was we were doing to eat dinner. We would usually let out a big "awwwwwww!!!" as we stomped our way home, and into the house to plant our butts at the dinner table. None of us especially liked it, but we did it as Mom said we had to. We would all sit at the table, eat our dinner, talk about our days - the good, the bad, and just spend time together. I did not realize how important it was at the time, but now that I am grown and have my own family, I do.

Coming to this realization has brought on some changes in the Shelton house. I have decided that dinner (whatever it is we are eating) will be at the table each night, with or without Mr. Shelton. I have been making an effort to cook some healthy, home cooked meals at least a few times a week, which has been successful. Some days the menu is not so fancy and we throw in a frozen pizza, or chicken tenders - 'cause heck, I am not perfect you know. But really the food does not matter as much - it is the time spent sitting at the dinner table, together, as a family, talking about our days that matters, that is important.

Last night I made beef stoganoff, turned off the T.V. and called all the kids in from playing in the cul-de-sac. They filed in the door one after the other, shoulders slumped, grumpy looks on their faces and plopped their butts on the chairs. I had to laugh as this site was so familiar. After everyone had settled in I thought I would ask a them about their days. A thing I do when we actually sit down at the table for dinner.

"So Ava, what was your favorite part of the day?"

"Oh! I know, meeting the new neighbors. There is a girl that is my age in the neighborhood now."

"Anthony, what was your favorite part of the day?"

"Watching Gooby(Scooby) Doo. The scary part where all the monsters were trying to get them." (as of late, Anthony's very favorite thing to do is watch this one Scooby-Doo movie. Over, and over and over and over again. He never gets sick of it. No joking.)

"Lucas, how about you?"

"Oh, my favorite part was meeting the neighbors too."

"So what was your least favorite part of the day, Ava?"

"Having to watch Scooby-doo so many times. Anthony gets to watch that too much Mom."and I knew that one day they too would appreciate dinner time.

Lucas: "Yes Mom, I am so sick of having to watch Scooby-doo. That was my least favorite part of today for sure."

"Anthony, how about you?"

"Nothing Momma." which does not really surprise me as he was pretty much in hog heaven all day, laying on his favorite chair, watching "Gooby" doo all day. What's not to like about that, right?

I think I have something here with this whole sitting down at the table every night for dinner, as this little gem of a conversation would have never taken place had we not.