In 1999, I vividly remember going to the movies with my
girlfriend Rachel to see the Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer movie The Story
of Us. The movie is about a couple’s challenges, struggles, and triumphs during
their 15 years of marriage. At this time, I had been married for a little over year and had a
newborn son. It was touching to watch the journey this fictional couple had
taken with their two children over the past decade and a half. As a new parent, I was a sponge for inspiring ways to raise children and stay connected as a
family. I took away a great dinnertime
tip from the movie that I have since adopted as our own ritual called “high and
low”. Every night at the dinner table, every member of the family shares their
high point and low point of the day. This is a great way to connect to your
children and spouse. It requires family members to verbalize the happenings of
their day and it keeps everyone in the know of what is going on in each other’s
world. Life can be so busy, running here and there, and a family dinner
infused with rituals reconnects everyone and
creates a home base for sharing. Twelve years later, and still
in search of inspiration, I came across a great cookbook/resource packed full with delicious, healthy recipes and wonderful ways
to connect with your kids at the table. Laurie David’s
book, The Family Dinner, is amazing! She shares tips on
how to get the family to slow down and sit down to eat a meal together, and the
benefits of doing so. Research shows that children that eat a family dinner are
less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, have greater academic achievement, decreased
rate of obesity, and better overall nutrition. We would love to hear about your family rituals and ways you connect at the family table.
-Kari
