What's Your Family Dinner Time Like?

Do you remember June Cleaver in her kitchen wearing pearls and pumps? I remember the Leave it to Beaver family eating dinner while exchanging wisdom and witty jokes. It seems that in our fast paced society where people are working longer hours to pay the bills and children are distracted by television, video games and cell phones, that family dinner time is a lost art!

Studies show that children who eat dinner with the family are less likely to smoke, drink, do drugs, be depressed, have a teen pregnancy, or commit suicide. And studies also show that children who participate in regular meal times eat healthier, have higher grades in school and have a stronger bond with each of their family members.

And yet the schedule demands that we be at baseball practice RIGHT in the middle of dinner time! What do we as mom's do? We have to get creative! We have to be strong and say "no" to some obligations that stand between us and our family time. That's what we have to do. We must not cave in and abandon the age old practice of eating dinner together! It truly is important!

Did you grow up in a family that ate dinner together? I did. We are a very chatty family! I had two older sisters and we joked you had to take a number to get a chance to tell your story. One pastor who visited our home said that talking with our family was like jump roping. You had to pay attention for the lull to jump in. I have pictures of my brother-in-law on thanksgiving with fingers in his ears because my immediate family of 5 can really get loud when we get around a dinner table! We simply have fun together! And I strongly believe that it is one of the reasons why all five of us are close now as adults and why we all are close to our Heavenly Father.

Are you in need of some meal time pick me up ideas. I found a whole slew of GREAT spiritual conversation starters on Focus On the Family (just click here and scroll through the pages of ideas). Also, my friend Kelly makes beautiful and fun lunches for her children - to see those go here.

And if you are a mom who has learned to be creative with meal times or grew up in a family with great meal time ideas then I have the contest that is perfect for you to enter!


Focus on the Family is running a Mother's Day Contest!


The contest runs April 26th-May 7th


Here’s the challenge: Write a 250 word essay or upload a 3-5 minute video about how you or your mother made mealtime special for your family.

This is less about what you are cooking or where you are eating and more about how you have created this time as special for your family.


One Grand Prize Winner will receive a year’s subscription to Thriving Family Magazine, have their video featured on Focus’ websites, and get the choice of one grand prize:

-Plane ticket to see your mom or to fly your mom to you
or
-House cleaning for one month (I could really use this one!!!!!!!)
or
-Spa Day
or
-Night Out (Dinner and Broadway tickets)
or
-A Celebrate Mom Party (food and decorations)


Four prizes will be awarded daily: 4 /Dinner bracelets (for entire family to wear) – these are similar to the “LiveStrong” bracelets, Great Focus Resources, Sample subscriptions to Thriving Family Magazine (3 months worth)


For more details on how to enter go here: Mother's Day Contest. I know I have some amazing readers with great ideas - so please enter and let me know if you win!!! I'm rootin' you on!!!

Now get your roast in the crock pot and gather your chicks around for a home cooked meal! They desperately need this time with the family.


Walk with the King!