"Looks like a beautiful book Meredy and a topic which we are really passionate about.
We love to sit, eat and talk as a family and with four aged 9, 6, 4 and 2, this does not always go smoothly.
However we started our littlies off from a young age eating at the table with us, talking about our days, along with Felicity, discussing our favourite things that have happened.
My biggest gripe is cooking dinner and catering to two with food intolerances/allergies, vs the just plain fussy eaters and my taste for varied, interesting and at times spicy foods.
I would love to hear some of your dinner time tales too :)"
Send me your details Kat and I'll get this treasure of a book to you asap!
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I adored your comments, some of you are in a right pickle at dinner time, which makes us comrades in arms and others of you have it absolutely sorted, which holds me in awe. There are some great tips and ideas there, so I recommend you read through the comments if you get a chance. Clever girls.
Here's what the good, the bad and the ugly from the dinner table at Chez Joy:
Good:
* We hold hands as we say Grace. And then the kids will race to yell out "God Bless the Cook!!" and then yell "I said it first!!". And then it's downhill from there....the meal hasn't even started and there's often someone already in tears. Hmm, maybe this needs to be on the other list.
*Roster in place to set and clear the table.If it can't be hosed down, there is no place for it on our table.
We have placemats that the kids love.
They're paintings of boathouses from around Pittwater. One of our favourite places on earth.
I got them here
* We take turns around the table saying what was the best part of our day and which was the worst. I'd love to say this was an original idea, but I actually got it from a Michelle Pfeiffer and Bruce Willis movie called "The Story of Us"....whatever works right?
*Occasionally we'll play a game at the end of dinner whereby Dave or myself ask the kids a random question and if they get it right, they get a segment of fruit. This for some bizarre reason is one of their absolute favourite games. Even Bugsy at nearly 3 loves it. His questions are "What colour is Roary's car?" or "What's your last name?". It's just about the only game that doesn't end in tears or recriminations.
* They have to excuse themselves from the table with a "Thank you Mum" followed by a sincere compliment about the meal. Also, no one leaves the table until everyone has finished eating. This is harder to enforce when Bugsy is UNDER the table pounding his fists on the floor in protest over some imagined slight.
*Nope. That's it.
The Bad and the downright Ugly:
* Actually trying to get them to all sit on their behinds simultaneously.
* At least two of them bringing an afternoon altercation to the table thinking it can be sorted out over spaghetti bolognaise. They haven't seen the Godfather yet....
* Vomit stories. They love them. And fart jokes. Endlessly hilarious apparently.
* In my attempts to have everyone at the table, I've left dinner until after the various rugby/dance/tae kwon do trainings and it's quite late. Bugsy and Mr Magoo by this point are usually past it and one of them will start running across the table demanding a cheese sandwich.
* Me holding my head in my hands, despairingly.
* Dave holding his head in his hands, despairingly.
*The kids holding their heads in their hands, despairingly.
* Having spent hours creating a healthy meal, only to have it demolished in minutes.
* I'm going to stop right now and go and read "The Family Dinner" book again.
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Huge congratulations and big hugs to the lovely Leanne at Mrs A in the Cove who has just launched her party styling website "Sweet Style". Leanne is as sweet and lovely as her website...and has a fascinating story to tell about how "Sweet Style" came into being. You'll be inspired! She's very special.
Happy Weekend!!
Meredy xo
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