Tuesday, December 1, 2009

The Family Supper

Drawing of Woman Putting Roast in Oven

We try to have supper together as a family as often as possible. It doesn't happen every night of course, but it happens more often than not. We sit around the table, hold hands while Mike asks the blessing and then eat a meal that's usually homemade. There's nothing magical about having a meal together as a family, but it gives us a great opportunity to come together at the end of the day and connect with each other. As the mom of the family, it's up to me to make the family supper a priority, and it's worth it. The time together is precious and is a portion of how our family builds its identity. We have had so many memorable conversations and joke telling sessions around the supper table over the years that we still talk about much later. Here is a list of conversation starters if you need a little push to get things going.

Getting a meal on the table every single night isn't easy I know. That's why it's so hard isn't it? The dailiness of it... Planning is the key. Somehow you aren't surprised are you? One suggestion I recently had from a friend who is a very busy church secretary is to put your roast (with all the potatoes, carrots, etc.) in your crockpot at night before you go to bed and put the inner part of your crock pot in the fridge. She then sets it out on the counter first thing in the morning to let it warm up slightly then places it in the crockpot on low. That keeps the stoneware part from cracking due to a sudden temperature change. She also uses disposable crockpot liners that she buys at the grocery store. These really help with cleanup after the meal. Now how easy is that? Wouldn't it be nice when your family walks in the door to smell something delicious cooking? I have supper in my crockpot right now. Let's have some wonderful time with our families this week. :)

12 comments:

Jen said...

The family dinner table is a place of great blessings for any and all who gather around it! You are right, it is so worth it to make the time.....it is time well spent on your family...love in action!

Megan Bennett said...

You know I am one of six kids, our dad was always working and my mom busy, busy, busy, but it never failed we always ate dinner together every night.

It was a time when we could share stories, laugh (alot) and have family meetings. Most nights we would sit around long after finishing our meals. It didn't matter how cool we were, how popular, who we were dating, none of it mattered. We could all just forget life outside of the house and get to know each other better. Some of our best family jokes are about things that happened at the dinner table.

Basically I guess I'm letting you know that from the child point of view it is a wonderful thing. It's a tradition that should not be forgotten or simply handed over to the the TV. I firmly beleive we (siblings) are all so close because of it. (That and when we fought each other Mom would make us hug it out- LOL. I guess she knew what she was doing afterall!)

Great post.

Anonymous said...

This post was patronising. You assume we are unable to start a conversation around the dinner table with OUR OWN FAMILY?

Unknown said...

Honestly, you're so right about this and it's something I need to give more attention to.

Thanks for the reminder.

50s Housewife said...

Anon, I'm not trying to be patronizing, just passing on some tips. :) I have a friend who bought a cute box of cards at a gift shop called "family conversation starters" that they used at their Thanksgiving dinner. She said her family had lots of fun with them. You certainly don't have to use any idea I post here.

Farmgirl Cyn said...

Some of our most precious memories are from when we had the entire family together for dinner. It can be hard to do when everyone is off doing their own thing, but well worth it. Thanks for the great tips!

ChaChaneen said...

Ah, my beautiful friend~ the great thing about blogging is that you have the power to delete comments, no need to defend your posts... especially Anonymous negative ones at that.

Great tips you shared here and I lurve using my crockpot too! I use it nearly every weekend by making soup or stew from the weeks leftovers. Tonight I made Shepherds Pie from all the Thanksgiving food and it was delicious!

A said...

Thanks for the conversation starters. It's hard to think of things to say sometimes to people you haven't seen in a while.

Anonymous said...

We also hold hands around the table while blessing the food. I love doing this with my family. And because my kids are still small, we are able to sit down every night together. It means so much to me...even on nights when the conversation lulls, just sitting and being together is nice.

And I don't think you were being patronizing at all. In fact, I've been reading your blog for a long time and I feel that I can say with certainty that patronizing has never been a part of any of your posts! ;-)

50s Housewife said...

Awww ladies, thank you so much! You are so sweet and caring! If the comment had been truly nasty or name calling I would have deleted it (yes I have had thosee, but only a couple). Just thought I would leave it up to show that's it's OK if people don't agree with everything I post. :)

My friend's story of how much fun she had with the conversation starters sounded so great that I wanted to share something similar with you all. Maybe I should have put that part in the post to clarify a little.

kanishk said...

You are right, it is so worth it to make the time..

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Fashion said...

Thanks for the great tips!