Month 1:Week 3- photograph your mealtime

Busy, interesting, an adventure, family bonding time is how my husband describes our mealtime. I am very thankful that dinnertime is a priority in our family and hope that this will always be the case. I have read before that families that eat/converse and share their day together at mealtimes stay together. At this stage in life we aren't hosting too many dinner parties. Our niece just spent last weekend with us and got to experience first hand how mealtime goes at our house. There is lots of multitasking going on and teamwork for Mommy and Daddy.

I will try to give you a play through of our typical dinnertime start to finish:

1. I try to pour the kids milk and have their food on their plates prior to announcing "suppertime"
2. Once Isaac is in the booster seat he loses patience and wants to eat "NOW". I often throw him a few pieces of food to keep him quiet while we pray.
3. Just when we think we can start praying usually Luke starts doing the "pee dance" or Sam or Andrew announce that they have to go to the bathroom.
4. Once they are back and Isaac gets a few more pieces of food thrown on his tray we say the Lords' Prayer together as a family. During this there is usually a few orders to close eyes or fold hands.
5. Time to dig in. Kids start eating while Mommy and Daddy jump up to serve themselves. We always wait till after we pray otherwise our food gets cold.
6. While eating we usually talk about our day. Luke gets to tell Daddy and the kids who were at school what he did or who we visited etc. Andrew and Sam usually share who they played with at recess and lunch and what they did throughout the day. Ken and I often try to share our day with each other but find it difficult to talk too extensively about anything due to interruptions and demands/requests.
7. While all of this is going on Isaac has usually devoured his food and is starting to throw crumbs or his sippy cup on the floor or runs his dirty hands through his hair.
8. Next step, quickly clean Isaac with a cloth and release him.
9. The other boys usually are asking for refills on their milk, or they want seconds or they are complaining that they don't like supper. Often Sam tells us that he is full but immediately asks what's for dessert.
10. If Andrew enjoys his dinner he always jumps off his chair and gives me the biggest hug and says "yummy supper mommy".
11. After we both finish spoon feeding what's left on the kids plates to them Daddy gets the Bible. We try to read a chapter each mealtime from the Bible, then the kids hear a story from their kids story Bible. The kids Bible always has a few questions at the end that we discuss which I really like. I find they pay closer attention knowing they are going to be questioned afterwards.
12. We then sing together the kids memory work from school which is usually 1 or 2 stanza's in a Hymn or Psalm.
13. While all this is going on Isaac is often playing with cars or being disruptive which sometimes results in him going to his room for some quiet time so we can finish in peace.
14. Occasionally he joins in with the singing or claps his hands. Tonight we sang a familiar Hymn so the three oldest sang quite loudly. I commented on their "zeal" while singing.
15. Then Daddy prays and every ones excused.
And that's our typical mealtime.