Mealtimes Matter

I am miss having our meals at the dining room table. I am guessing that it has been 1 month since we have been able to sit at the table. We have either had it packed high with camping gear, my pantry(during the kitchen remodel), or school in progress. Dh took the kids out Thursday afternoon and I spent the time reclaiming my house. My living room and dining room have been in total chaos thanks to camping and remodeling. I had had enough. We can now eat at the table. I cannot wait.

I received a link from PBS on Table Talk. I LOVED the ideas. This is my favorite:

Be a facilitator, not a director.
If your child initiates conversation about a topic that interests him, follow his lead, rather than trying to engage him in a different topic. For example, if your child mentions a book that he read at share time, you might ask questions that encourage your child to go beyond the plot. For example, instead of just asking, "What happened in the story?" you might ask, "What part of the story made you think that the dog would be safe in the end?" or "What makes him a character you like?" By following your child's lead, you can help your child develop his interests, while deepening his appreciation of stories, words, and new ideas.

Here are some more links:

Family-Mealtimes
Importance of Family Dinners
The Family Table
The Magic of the Family Meal
Family Meals
Family Meal Lesson Plan
Dinnertime Dialogue
Table Topics
Table Topics Keep clicking table topics at the top for new ideas!