tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post6732658186326632730..comments2023-11-03T08:56:37.510-04:00Comments on Project Little Smith: Family MealsMama Smithhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17489450713167896817noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-45869433665463218502012-11-18T18:54:03.276-05:002012-11-18T18:54:03.276-05:00AMEN, mama. Connecting is connecting. Some peopl...AMEN, mama. Connecting is connecting. Some people do it over the dinner table, some in bed at night, some in the car. Please, mamas, no guilt. There are plenty of insane moments in parenting that might justify guilt, but having "meaningful meals or else" mentality is bogus.<br /><br />We're a homeschooling family. We're together allll freakin day. My husband goes to work late in the morning so he can have time with our son while he's still fresh. Dinners are sometimes all of us, sometimes just my son and I, and sometimes the kid eats at the computer and my husband and I dine leisurely alone. HORRORS! It's wonderful, actually.<br /><br />Pressure to do something that doesn't really work for your family for whatever reason is to be relinquished into the guiltless universe!<br /><br />Ta da.<br /><br /><br />PS I looooove eating dinner in front of the TV watching a movie. Loved it as a kid, still love it at 50.Mamaholthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17224178526027710853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-83504869314509366702012-02-02T09:23:29.443-05:002012-02-02T09:23:29.443-05:00We do scattershot family meals, too. A lot of tim...We do scattershot family meals, too. A lot of times we feed the kids early, and then eat dinner ourselves after they're in bed. I think that it's probably more about the quality time you spend with the kids rather than the actual eating together. But that's my 2 cents :)Ruthiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17030289955645949644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-47592523639298775682012-02-02T01:13:22.744-05:002012-02-02T01:13:22.744-05:00I grew up with family meals and my husband did not...I grew up with family meals and my husband did not. He ate on the couch practically his entire life. So when we got married this was a big struggle. Family meals are so important to me. I love the calmness it brings no matter the time of day. For me, food is sacred, and I spend a lot of time cooking it every single day, and getting to share it with my family means a lot to me. I just love eating at the table. I don't feel comfortable eating it in the living room. My husband has a crazy work schedule, so we are usually able to share one meal together.<br /><br />But do whatever you feel you like best! I really don't know if it matters when it comes to the communication aspect. But I do feel my son eats better when he is at the table.Leahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06854276566044082982noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-7633234521634405682012-02-01T18:51:20.865-05:002012-02-01T18:51:20.865-05:00Great comments! I really appreciate both of your t...Great comments! I really appreciate both of your thoughts. I think it's something that I'll feel more guilty about as time goes on and more conversation could happen at the table but I'm sure we'll figure it out.<br /><br />Also Tara thanks for the compliment about LS in the highchair- funny thing is that I had the tripod set up at the end of the table with the camera programmed to take pictures every few minutes. He was totally obsessed with the camera and couldn't even eat... he just stared at it! We had to take it away pretty fast so as not to ruin our one family meal :) How do those kids on reality shows do it?Mama Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17489450713167896817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-46291257433560024342012-02-01T17:27:51.539-05:002012-02-01T17:27:51.539-05:00I hear ya. I think for many families meal time is ...I hear ya. I think for many families meal time is possibly the only time they have to communicate with one another uninterrupted, making it more important. I know that in our household due to our unconventional sleep/work schedules we don't eat many meals together am I'm pretty okay with that. That type of scheduling doesn't work for everybody and personally, I don't think it's a big deal. <br /><br />We get lots of time together to do tons of other important family bonding activities, so I'm not too worried about it. I think the benefits of sharing a meal is that you will potentially be consuming something nutritious (if you're taking the time to all sit down and share in it) and that you are creating the opportunity to talk as a family. If you are eating well and chatting it up I don't think it really matters whether that happens around a dining room table. <br /><br />I love your highchair btw! So cute (and Little Smith looks so adorable in it)!Tarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10113835276019191229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19766666724444291.post-62583821010220156922012-02-01T14:59:41.031-05:002012-02-01T14:59:41.031-05:00Lilly, I loved this! I read somewhere that little ...Lilly, I loved this! I read somewhere that little boys actually talk more when you are doing something side-by-side (like gardening or walking, or playing soccer in the backyard) rather than during a sit-down school or dinner type of situation. So... on the go might be just as good, if not better, for Little Smith!<br /><br />I grew up with sit-down meals, and they were great, but when the kids are very small, I really don't think it matters as much... and with all the food-flinging, it's downright stressful! When my boys get older, I do want to sit down to dinner every evening as a family. But right now, with bedtimes and work schedules, it's just not as do-able.Lauren Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07358496490976869347noreply@blogger.com