I probably shouldn't make such a big deal about it, but I do. Family Dinners are super important to me.
It has nothing to do with surveys or statistics. Although statistics are on the side of regular family dinners for keeping families connected and eating well.
Family Dinners are kind of sacred around here.
Confession: I don't always cook Cuban. But I do cook a lot. And there are always vegetables and salads and lots of variety in the main dishes, although we're mostly unapologetic carnivores.
My rules are that 1) dinner must be delicious and 2) phones must be off. The exception to the turning-off-phone rule is that you may take photos of your food, and you may even Instagram it, which everyone knows is why God gave us smart phones.
I know the Family Dinner thing is hopelessly old-fashioned. But as everyone has gotten busier, it seems to be the only place where we consistently connect and share as a family. I miss not having my older kids here as much, as they've gotten on with their busy lives. But when they are here we make it a point to have a feast.
In the interest of full disclosure, we also order pizza and take out Chinese food. But even then, we sit at our places and slow down enough to spend time together. Did I tell you that everyone has their own place at the table? (I know. Shut up.)
Ironically, yesterday, as I was working on this post, I had a terrible fibro episode. I did not even make dinner and every man was on his own. Those times make me glad that we have so many everybody-sit-down-together type meals. The free-for-all is much more the exception, rather than the rule.
I think the need to feed people and have them around the table comes from my happiest memories of my Cuban childhood. The Family Table was sacred. There was always lively conversation and delicious food. I wish we had more moments like this in our lives. This is why I've become so intentional in making Dinner Time so important.
In the Movie of My Life, most of the scenes and family exchanges will take place around the dinner table. In that silver-screen-fantasy there will also be someone else who cleans up after the meal, but that's not important right now.
When I see the faces of the ones I love best as they laugh and share and we listen to the stories about who said what and how their days went, there's no question that this is a good and solid tradition.
The only question left is: "What's for dessert?"
I’m with you 100%! We also have our own place at the table and even when we have take out or BBQ we still sit down and eat together! Friday and Saturday are the exceptions to the rule, those are my days off!!
We still all sit down to dinner, the only exception is if one of the older kids is working. If you are under the age of 18 in the house, you most likely don’t work (It can’t be a Cuban thin ad I worked since I was 14). Therefore, you will sit at the table and eat, sometimes very delicious food sometimes un invento mio, the may had gone totally wrong, but we still eat in any ways, porque un niño en África se esta muriendo de hambre. (LOL). No phones allowed period we talk about our day about stupid stuff. Now is only my husband the 2 girls and me. I miss the boys the conversations use to always take a twisted twist.
Thanks for sharing, Alina!I think the “place at the table” thing started as a way to avoid fights. It has remained in place for all these years.
I hope they appreciate all you’ve done in establishing so many good traditions.
xoxo,
Marta
Diana,Isn’t it true that the best part is the conversation? I love the noisy give and take.
I wonder how many starving children in Africa we have saved? 😉