A reporter wants to speak with working parents of tweens and teens about family dinners. Are
they a priority? Why? What extremes do you have to go to to make them happen? If you can't
pull them off regularly, do you feel guilty or defensive?
Please submit your contact
information at this link to be contacted by the reporter, who doesn't want to share her
e-mail address. If the link doesn't work, you can copy and paste this URL:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?
formkey=dGNzeWRiNWs1T1FJa3JaQ2g1Tmt4MUE6MA..
Thank you!
My kids are 7 and 9. We eat at the table once or twice a week as a family. My husband is a firefighter and is not home 2 or 3 nights a week. When it's just me and the kids I read a book to them while we eat, something that is a little more involved than what they read at school (like The Narnia books, Classic children's literature)....they pay attention better. On Friday or Saturday night we have dinner and a movie night, we eat in front of the tv with a family movie or show to watch. Or we got out to eat as a family, or have a picnic. Eating together is a huge priority for us, but we don't always have to do it at the dinner table. I work at home now, so I see them all afternoon and my husband sees them too when he is not on shift, so we don't have that condensed time frame that many do have. When I worked at an office several years ago I felt tremendous guilt, sadness and unhapiness for not being home when they were. I quit my job and began my own business when my youngest started school so I could at least be home when they got home.
We are a two job family and I have done everything possible to make sure one if us is at home whenever the kids are. I am a nurse and often work the off shifts to make sure the children do not become latch key kids (as I was when I was a child). I feel very guilty having someone else do the work I am supposed to do. They did not have my kids, I did. My children (19, 17, 6, 4.5 and 18mo) are my number one top priority in life. I wouldn't have it any other way.
As a family of six with four kids, 14, 11, 11, 8, I feel it's very important to eat together as a family. I would like to eat together every night but we average only 3-4 times a week due to the kids' evening activities. When we do eat together we play "How was Your Day?" Everyone tells about their day and then asks someone else about theirs. It's a good way for everyone to support and encourage each other and gives the kids an idea of what their father does at work.
I have 5 kids ages 12, 10,9,8,& 6. We have always eaten dinner together. The habit was established when they were young. So it has never been a struggle. There are the occasions where they will eat at a friend's house or I'll have them eat leftovers on a "catch as catch can" basis, but for the most part we eat together. It is a time for them to tell their dad what they've been up to that day and it sets the tone for settling down for the evening. I think for our family the fact that we have always had dinner together has made the transition to having tweens in the home easier to keep dinner together a priority--they don't know any other way.
I've sent my contact information to the reporter. This is definitely a subject close to my heart. We have made family dinners a priority and as the children get older, it seems even more important.
I submitted my information because as a mother of 5 this is something we struggle with daily. It's wonderful when we have everyone together and it's guilt inducing when we can't. Where is the right balance? I did post on this topic - "Why Family Dinners are in your DNA"
Thanks!
As a working mother to 14 and 17 year old teenagers, I've supplied my comments to the reporter. I am a huge believer in the family meal, however, it is a lot easier to pull off a family meal when your children don't play two sports. Add in the fact that one is a licensed driver, and the dynamics shift.
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We have 4 TWEENS (triplets, age 12, and big brother, 13) and dinner has ALWAYS BEEN MANDATORY AT OUR HOUSE.
It's really the only time of the day when we can all enjoy each other's company without distractions. There are no excuses for not sitting at the table: NO going out to play, TV watching, doing homework, reading a book, or otherwise not interacting with the family. I think our family also eats more healthfully because I prepare the meals and everyone eats the same thing at each dinner -- this helps us avoid junk food or skipping meals, too.
Enforced family time is GOOD FOR EVERYONE and I think both the parents and kids benefit in making it an important ritual that we all look forward to each night.
I am a BUSY mom of three kids. Ages 11, 6, and 5. All three of my children go to different schools, my oldest goes to a special private school for the talented. Our schedule is CRAZY. My oldest plays Tennis 5-6 Nights a week. While my other do too, just not as much. Between school and other activities, I own my own business www.bubblecakes.com. My husband is self employed as well.
Feeding my children a healthy dinner is a PRIORITY! I go to great lengths to see that it happens. I grow a garden so we always have fresh organic vegetables at hand. I make a lot of food and freeze it. Soup is big around our house. Fresh raw fruit and veggies are great healthy, quick, take along items we always have on hand.
I fell like it is my responsibility to make sure that my children are eating well. I want to give them a great start on life. What they are eating now is building the base for the rest of their life. It takes time and a lot of planning but it can be done, even on our busy schedule.
in Casting Call 3 points
A reporter wants to speak with working parents of tweens and teens about family dinners. Are they a priority? Why? What extremes do you have to go to to make them happen? If you can't pull them off regularly, do you feel guilty or defensive? Please submit your contact information at this link to be contacted by the reporter, who doesn't want to share her e-mail address. If the link doesn't work, you can copy and paste this URL: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform? formkey=dGNzeWRiNWs1T1FJa3JaQ2g1Tmt4MUE6MA.. Thank you!
Comments about this alert:
creative ways you can make it happen!
Let's Eat
Together!
Thanks!
Follow me on Twitter for all things travel related @Nancydbrown
It's really the only time of the day when we can all enjoy each other's company without distractions. There are no excuses for not sitting at the table: NO going out to play, TV watching, doing homework, reading a book, or otherwise not interacting with the family. I think our family also eats more healthfully because I prepare the meals and everyone eats the same thing at each dinner -- this helps us avoid junk food or skipping meals, too.
Enforced family time is GOOD FOR EVERYONE and I think both the parents and kids benefit in making it an important ritual that we all look forward to each night.
Follow me on Twitter @MommyBlogExpert
Thanks for the opportunity!
april
I am a BUSY mom of three kids. Ages 11, 6, and 5. All three of my children go to different schools, my oldest goes to a special private school for the talented. Our schedule is CRAZY. My oldest plays Tennis 5-6 Nights a week. While my other do too, just not as much. Between school and other activities, I own my own business www.bubblecakes.com. My husband is self employed as well.
Feeding my children a healthy dinner is a PRIORITY! I go to great lengths to see that it happens. I grow a garden so we always have fresh organic vegetables at hand. I make a lot of food and freeze it. Soup is big around our house. Fresh raw fruit and veggies are great healthy, quick, take along items we always have on hand.
I fell like it is my responsibility to make sure that my children are eating well. I want to give them a great start on life. What they are eating now is building the base for the rest of their life. It takes time and a lot of planning but it can be done, even on our busy schedule.