I love our kitchen. It is a place where so much happens. It is a place of fun, laughing, conversations, prayer, teaching and serving. It all happens while preparing a meal, sitting down to eat as a family and during clean up. Some of my favorite conversations have happened while boiling noodles.
If you are not having a sit down family meal, you are truly missing out. It is a choice I beg of you to make as much as possible during the week and/or the weekends. It may be the only time you have each others undivided attention. It is a choice that will impact you and your family. It is a choice that brings you together with your family. Once you choose to have a sit down dinner, you then choose to make the most of that time.
1. Choose to make your kitchen table a place of refuge
Taking time to sit, talk and eat together can bring a calmness to a hectic day. It provides a time to talk about the silly and serious subjects of the day. It lets each member of the family know that he/she will have a time to speak and be listened to. The kitchen table becomes a safe zone of communication. And if your family schedule is too busy to sit down and eat together, do not scratch the family dinner off your list each night. Find at least three times to sit down together and eat. Rearrange your schedule around the dinner even if you have to pick up food to eat occasionally. Please just choose to sit down at your table and eat together.
2. Choose to make your kitchen a place to teach and serve
The kitchen is the perfect classroom. You can teach matching, counting, etiquette, addition, subtraction, cooking, measuring, etc.
No matter what the age, you can have quality time with each other while dinner is being prepared. Even the littlest one can count out the forks and napkins. It is a perfect opportunity to have quality time with your child. You can choose to fix dinner and still enjoy your child. Depending on their age they can count out napkins, set the table to help prepare the food. If a child realizes they can have that one on one time with a parent, they will be there to help often and will chase others away. It is another opportunity to talk in a safe place. It is a fun way to bond and teach skills they need.
The kitchen is the best place to serve together. It is so important our children learn to care for their family and that the family can work together. When dinner is over it is not time for everyone to go their separate ways. Keep conversations going while you clear the table, rinse or wash the dishes, wipe the table and sweep up the floor. According to age split up the clean up and work together. It doesn't have to seem like a chore instead make it an extension of your family dinner by cleaning up together. You get to finish important conversations, teach the importance of a family working together and have a clean kitchen all in one. In the beginning teenagers may fuss, but once they realize you are still listening to them it doesn't seem like such a big deal to help out.
We only have a short amount of time with our children. They grow up quickly. Choosing to teach and talk to them as much as possible is very important. Creating a place safe for them to talk is very important. Choosing to let them know you listen is crucial. No matter what age they are, we can choose to open the door to communication. So choose to sit down, eat, laugh talk and listen at your kitchen table. Your child may not be the only one learning something.
Homework
1. Look at scripture and see how often Jesus spoke and taught at the dinner table.
2. Schedule family dinners, breakfast or brunch
3. Start talking to a member of your family while preparing dinner and then ask them to help you (but keep talking)
4. Talk, listen and pray at dinner
5. Keep conversations going while getting everyone to help clean up.
6. Choose to make your home a place of refuge, teaching and service.
No comments:
Post a Comment