Family Dinner Ideas – 5 Ways to Make it Fun!

“All great change in America begins at the dinner table.” This famous quote from Ronald Reagan sums up the power of family dinners perfectly. There is currently a big push to return to our roots in sharing meals together, and it’s no longer a secret that family dinners are important. There are numerous studies that suggest that family dinners are good for much more than just filling bellies. In fact, many studies suggest that eating dinner together three or more times a week makes children more emotionally stable, encourages healthy eating, reduces chances of obesity, and aids in developing a positive parent and child relationship.

My husband, daughter, and I just moved into our first home in March. Since then, we’ve started the habit of all sitting down together in the evenings for a home-cooked meal. It’s without a doubt one of my favorite times of the day. We usually all go around and talk about our days or whatever silly things are on our two-year-old’s mind. However, I’ve noticed that there are some days that family dinner needs a little help. Whether it be a cranky toddler who missed her nap, a tired husband who just worked a 12 hour day in the sun, or a stressed out mom who just wants a moment of silence to hear herself think, sometimes you have to work to make dinner fun and a positive experience! My husband and I came up with a few family dinner ideas that our family can use to help make every dinner a pleasant one!

1. Family Dinner Conversation Starters

Sometimes you just can’t think of what to say. Your day was pretty bland, you’ve already talked about your favorite vacation spots, and now you’re stuck in silence. That’s when you need a little help! Luckily, there are quite a few websites that give ideas and printables for family dinner conversation starters. Here are a few of my favorites! Conversation Starters by Somewhat Simple Dinner Table Questions by Just Another Day in Paradise Family Dinner Questions by How Does She

2. Dress up for Dinner

Do you have a little pirate, princess, or monkey in your house? Invite them to dinner! Kids love an opportunity to dress-up, and how fun and unexpected would a dress-up dinner party be? Let each member of the family—yes you too mom and dad—pick out a fun costume to wear to dinner. To make it even more exciting, don’t show each other your costumes ahead of time! This twist on family is sure to get everyone talking and playing!

3. Dinner and a Game

Who says you can’t play with your food? Why not have a family game and dinner night? There are many games that you can play in between bites! Playing a game like I spy, I’m going on a picnic, or 20 questions, won’t require a board on the table and will engage every member of the family! However, if you have the room on the dinner table, go ahead and pick out a family favorite board game! You can even allow a different family member to pick the game each time you do this!

4. Eating Dessert First

Remember what mom always said? “If you eat dessert first, you’ll spoil your dinner!” Well plug your ears, mom! Sometimes it’s fun to break the rules! On this night, start dinner off with a bang by serving each family member a small serving of dessert first! You can even set up a dessert bar where the kids can make a sundae with toppings.

5. Dinner and Art

Bring out the creativity at dinner time by hosting a family dinner art night! Cover the table with craft paper and put out different art supplies such as markers, crayons, colored pencils, glitter glue, etc. If you don’t have craft paper, you can also just supply each family member with sheets of paper. Be sure to have each family member share and talk about their drawings! Another fun way to extend the creativity is to create a “drawing chain”. The first person begins by drawing a shape or object on a piece of paper and then passes it around the table. Each family adds another piece to the drawing. When you run out of room, hold up the picture to laugh and talk about what each person drew!

Do you make time for family dinners during the week? What does your family do to make it fun?!

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8 Things Every Mom Needs to Hear

There I sat in the driver’s seat of my car, tears filing up my eyes, saying to the two year old in my backseat, “Mommy’s sorry for getting frustrated sweetie. I am having a hard day, and I need God to help me.” It was in this moment of brokenness and humility, that I needed some encouragement. I needed someone sitting in the passenger seat to look at me and say, “You are doing a great job!” You see, this moment had been preceded by a tantrum and power struggle, that seemed to last for hours, that began right when we needed to leave the house. I felt defeated.

I know every mom has these moments, but here’s the problem: we don’t always see them! The majority of the moments we see are the “perfect” ones. We see the adorably dressed mom pushing her daughter in the shopping cart around the store, who never has to say, “Sit down!  Stop touching! No whining!” The truth is that she probably doesn’t have to tell her daughter to sit down anymore because she’s held her ground through numerous, completely humiliating. public tantrums. She understands. She’s been there. We all have.

It’s on days like these that I often text a friend for some words of encouragement. There is something so healing in hearing the words, “I understand. I’ve been there, and you’re doing a good job.” I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we aren’t meant to do this alone! We need to be encouraged!

1. Every mom has punished too harshly in a moment of frustration. Learn from your mistakes, but don’t be hard on yourself. They’ve already forgotten about it, and so should you.

2. You can’t be good at everything! Focusing on being good at the most important things in your life is more effective and will make you feel more successful.

3. Enjoy your kids; The dishes can wait! Don’t get so caught up in tasks that you neglect relationships.

4. Don’t try and be like other moms. Your kids were gifted to you for a reason: They needed YOU, not the mom next door. God knew you would be able to love, support, nurture, and encourage them exactly the way they needed it. Don’t cheat them by trying to be someone else.

5. It’s okay to feel like you just need a break. Everyone needs a break from work, and when your job is your kids it’s not any different. If you’re a working mom, all the more reason for a break! Taking a morning/afternoon/weekend off is not selfish. Taking a break will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to jump back into being a happy mom!

6. When you mess up, apologize. Your kids need to see that you’re human too. Don’t hesitate to say sorry to your kids when you know you’ve fallen short. This will also show them a great example of humility, grace, and reconciliation.

7. Surround yourself with friends that encourage you and make you a better mom. You are who you hang out with, so choose your friends wisely!

8. You are doing a great job! The fact that you care enough about motherhood to take the time to read this, says that you are committed to being the best mom you can be. Motherhood is hard, but you were created for this. Good job mom.

Photo Credit: Mike Baird

What are your messages of encouragement for moms? I’d love to hear them!

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Can Your Abundant Generosity be Discouraging Others?

If there is one quality I truly love and admire about the other mothers that I surround myself with, it’s their sincere and selfless ability to serve others. I feel as though it’s an innate part of our friendships that we have cultivated. If someone is sick, they can expect to receive multiple text messages from friends who want to check on them. If someone needs childcare, we are quick to offer to help and do not expect any favors in return. It’s a beautiful thing!

However, an article I recently read made me painfully aware of the fact that I may have been doing more harm than good in these seemingly selfless acts. Kristina from The Mother’s Niche wrote this thought provoking article entitled “Dear Jane: A Letter to Another Mother.” In this post, she paints the picture of the mother we all know: the one who watches your kids for you, organizes meals for those recovering, and makes you feel like the most important person in her life with her thoughtfulness. When picturing this woman, I immediately thought, “Yes! She’s exactly who I want to be! The one always thinking of others and acting on it!” However, after reading more, I quickly saw that, if she’s not careful, this woman can actually be thwarting the growth of others.

Kristina explains, from personal experience, that those on the receiving end of this continual generosity need the opportunity to reciprocate these altruistic acts. She passionately describes her desire to follow in these noble women’s footsteps by returning the favors, and notes her dismay when her offers of generosity were turned away. She confesses, “I thank you for being a good friend, but deep down I am discouraged when I can’t do the same for you.”

I couldn’t help but sit and reflect on all the times I had turned away other’s offers of service. How many times had I refused much needed help from a sweet, genuine friend thinking, “No. I should be the one serving you!” Candidly speaking, pride probably had something to do with it, and because of it, I was depriving them of the indescribable joy you receive when you’re able to support and comfort a friend in need.

I suddenly realized that I was the woman she was writing the letter to.

I’m making a decision to start seeing servanthood differently. As ironic as this sounds, it’s no longer going to be about me. Serving others is not going to be a one way street in which I receive all the praise. I’m no longer going to constantly shut my door to tender offers of support and service.

I strongly encourage you to read Kristina’s post, and if you feel the same conviction I did, make a decision to change. Let’s make a decision together to open our doors for opportunities for others to grow and find joy in serving. Let’s make a decision to make servanthood truly about others.

You can read Kristina’s post “Dear Jane: A Letter to Another Mother” here.

Photo Credit: Dinner Series

Raising Healthy Eaters

“No me like peas!” says the tenacious two-year-old. The exhausted mother replies, “But peas are soo yummy! They’ll make you big and strong! And, did you know that mommy eats peas, daddy eats peas, brother eats peas….” While the mother is completing the list of all humans and animals who eat peas, plus throwing in a threat from Santa Clause, who clearly doesn’t bring non-pea eaters presents, the two-year-old then surmounts the mother’s plea with folded arms, a “this is war” stare, and a firm “No.” Knowing the strength and determination of her pint-sized opponent, the mother sighs, retreats, and goes for the reliable pea substitute, Goldfish. Another battle lost, and another strike against poor old Santa Clause.

Can you relate? If you’re a mother of any age child, chances are good that you’ve fought a few food battles. And because we have a primal instinct to nourish our children, we will go to any length to get them to eat. So how do we encouraged healthy eating but avoid the battles? Here are a few strategies to help cultivate good eating habits in your children.

1) Let Them Grocery Shop

Just like us adults, kids like being a part of decision making. As children, so much is already decided for them like what they wear, where they go, or who they see. So when you give the opportunity to decide something for themselves, they’ll rarely turn you down! Use this to your advantage when picking out produce! Instead of choosing that week’s vegetable for them, ask them what they’d like to have! Try taking them to the frozen vegetables and allowing them to pick two bags they’d like to try. That way when peas show up on their dinner plate that week, it’s no longer a battle between what mom wants me to eat and what I want to eat.

2) Let Them Help Cook

When you allow your children to cook with you, not only are you passing on recipes, techniques, or your joy for cooking, but you’re also introducing them to new flavors and making them feel more involved in their dinner menu. When Paislee and I cook together, it always amazes me how adventurous she is in trying new things. She’ll often ask for a taste of raw garlic, a lick of the lemon slice, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon. If I were to give her a plate of these items on her table, she’d probably turn up her nose and try and feed it to the cat. However, since these items are not being forced on her, but instead just left out on the counter for her to choose to taste, she goes for it! Now she’s inheriting my love for cooking and expanding her palate all at the same time!

3) Play with Their Food

Whoever said that we shouldn’t play with our food, obviously never sat through dinner with a toddler. Some of my favorite memories from mealtimes growing up include Bugs Bunny shaped waffles, sandwiches cut into pinwheel shapes, and ants on a log. It was my mother’s creativity with these foods that made them magical! Simply changing the appearance of dinner also changes the mood of dinner. It becomes fun and inviting! When food at a restaurant comes out perfectly plated and garnished, it entices us and makes our dinner more enjoyable. So think of this as garnishing your child’s plate! Make Mickey Mouse heads out of rice balls, bunny faces with carrots, or whatever your inner-child can think of! Maybe even make a game out of it. We like to pretend broccoli gives us turbo-speed at our house, and will run around the kitchen after eating! Have fun with it!

4) Try, Try Again

I have a rule we use in my house, you must try something 3 times before you can dismiss it. This means that for any food item, you have to allow me to make 3 separate dishes that include that ingredient, before you can say, “No thank you” to that food. This rule started with my husband when we first got married, as he was not fond of my “rabbit food” cooking! However, now I’m using the same rule for myself as I prepare food for Paislee. There are plenty of foods that were a complete bust the first time I tried them with Paislee. You would have thought I gave her gasoline if you saw her face after tasting avocado. I didn’t give up though! I kept trying, and now she LOVES avocado! Make a decision to serve food items AT LEAST 3 different times to your child before giving up! Sometimes they just need to acquire a taste for it.

What about you?! I want to hear your tips for raising great eaters! What crazy things do you do at dinner time that your kids love?

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