What is the face of your dinner table?


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This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Barilla, but opinions are my own.

#ShareTheTable

Today we are getting real. A lot of times we do not want others to see what goes on behind our closed doors. But, today we are sharing with you what our table looks like at meal time.

  • Sometimes we have happy faces.
  • Sometimes we have angry faces.
  • Sometimes we have sad faces.
  • Sometimes we laugh.
  • Sometimes we fight.
  • Sometimes someone doesn’t want to be talked to.
  • Sometimes someone doesn’t want to be looked at.
  • Sometimes someone wants to be ignored.
  • Sometimes someone just wants silence.
  • Sometimes someone want to scream.
  • Sometimes someone purposely annoys another.

Do any of these ring true to you? I am confident that I am not the only one who sits at the table with these experiences. Right? Leave a comment if you have experienced one of these…just to make me feel better!

Dinner time in our house means everything stops and everyone comes to eat.  My kids come to the table happy to be fed and excited about what is for dinner that night. We calm down for a prayer and then the moment we say amen that is when it starts to get a little dicey.

#ShareTheTable

Food isn’t being passed fast enough. Some don’t want to wait for their turn for a certain item of food. Sometimes we hear a lot of “please” and “thank you’s” but other times we do not. Perhaps it is because they are hungry. Perhaps it is because of the day they have had. For whatever the reason our dinner table conversation or manners are not perfect.

But, does it really need to be perfect? We might enjoy dinner better if we all kept our mouths closed and we kept our hands, legs and other objects to ourselves. But would that be a little boring? Would that be impersonal?  The truth is no matter how much we fight, argue, laugh and tease we do it because we love and enjoy each other. How else would you know which button really gets a brother or sister going? No matter how crazy meal time is deep down it is enjoyed by all.

#ShareTheTable

We have moments of encouragement and moments of supporting each other. Often we share one thing that was good and one thing that was bad during the day. We praise each other for the good. We discuss the bad. It is fun to watch my girls offer guidance to one another about how to solve their bad. If there isn’t a way to solve it then we discuss what could be done a similar future situation. This is a time when they really listen to each other. Occasionally, when one of my girls miss dinner they are genuinely sad. They know they missed something special.

#ShareTheTable

Once a month we get together at my parents house for dinner with all my siblings and their kids. This is something my kids look forward to. We let the kids sit at their own table which allows them more interaction with each other to create those connections and bonds. No matter what your family looks like we all seem to have a common need for shared mealtime. We all want to have a greater connection with each family member. We all need to eat. That must be why we say food is love. No matter how different we are from each other we all share a need for food.

As parents we can say whatever we want to our kids while they are shoving food in their mouths. At the same time we are showing our kids we love them by providing them with a meal.  Does it matter if it is an elaborate meal, a simple meal, or take out? Not at all. What matters is being together. Sitting together for a few minutes can bring positive change to families. Parents and children enjoy the emotional benefits of sharing a meal together.

#ShareTheTable

One constant thing my kids can count on each day is that we will all sit down together as a family at dinner time. For just those few moments no matter how crazy it might become that is the time we connect with each other and feel loved by each other. Did you know that seventy-six percent of people agree? They say dinner is the most important way to connect with their families. Unfortunately one in four still feel disconnected to those living with them.

So what can we do? Barilla wants to inspire, to empower, and to support all families to share more meaningful meals together. They believe sharing the table is a vital part in developing meaningful relationships and building healthy, and strong families.

Feeding America is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to fighting domestic hunger through a network of food banks, and Barilla supports that goal. Please share what happens when you connect with your family using #ShareTheTable. We can get a glimpse into what goes on behind each others closed doors. If that doesn’t make you excited how about this….for every post using #ShareTheTable, Barilla will provide the monetary equivalent of ten meals to Feeding America, up to one million meals! Help us reach that goal before 4/30/14.

#ShareTheTable

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Barilla. For every post using #ShareTheTable from now until 4/30/14, Barilla will donate a monetary equivalent of ten meals ($1.11) to Feeding America®, up to 1 million meals. Barilla will donate a maximum of $110,000.  One dollar helps provide 9 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.


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I am a mom to Five Little Chefs who love to cook and create anything with their hands. Watching over 10 additional hands keeps me busy but is so much fun! We laugh and cry everyday, but then want to do it again the next day. That is how we know we are enjoying life!

19 Replies to "What is the face of your dinner table?"

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    realarmyofmoms April 21, 2014 (2:03 pm)

    A shared family meal is one of the things I always insisted upon. It was not always easy and there were many tears, sometimes from me, but now that my kids are teenagers I know it was worth it. They know that at the family meal they will each get to share part of their day and that we will all pray together for the food. Keep on hanging in there.

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    Angelina April 21, 2014 (8:14 pm)

    Yep, it all sounds pretty familiar to what goes on at our house daily as well! I agree that trying to have one good meal together daily is a good habit to maintain!

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    Dominique Goh April 21, 2014 (9:15 pm)

    We have our weekday dinners together as a family at home as It is easier then eating out with the kids.. they also love dinner time as they get to interact with us after spending the day in school.

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:14 pm)

      I agree! It is so hard to go out with kids to a restaurant. Because it is so loud conversation doesn’t happen like it does at home. If you want the easy meal get take out and enjoy the conversation at home.

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    Momfever April 21, 2014 (11:30 pm)

    The sad face is the one I see the most at our dinner table. But I’ve stopped winding myself up about it. As long as I like the food I’ve made it’s alright!

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:16 pm)

      They are not starving, you are providing food so pat yourself on the back. I’m trying to teach my kids to make their favorite meal then at least they know one solid meal from start to finish they can make and like.

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    Barbara Shaw April 22, 2014 (7:10 am)

    I love dinner time. It’s the time to relax and enjoy each other’s company. And of course we love spaghetti night.

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:17 pm)

      It seems like that is the time with the least amount of distractions…if we put all phones away. We are really able to listen, speak and be heard. A good spaghetti meal is always a winner here!

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    Ditas April 22, 2014 (7:52 am)

    Meal time is such a task for my little boy so I guess its the sad face. he eats so slow. Sometimes it takes him an hour.

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:19 pm)

      Been there. Some nights I am still there. I feel your pain. Luckily for mine it was just a phase that seemed to last forever, but it does end…for the most part.

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    Andrea Beard April 22, 2014 (8:45 am)

    We try to do dinner at the table every night and it’s like a race for the kids. Who can get done first so they can have dessert? Who can get done first so we can go back outside? Who can get done first so we can turn the TV back on? But I do enjoy the 3-5 minutes before they’ve totally stuffed their faces!

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:20 pm)

      That is a great way to get kids to eat faster. I bet that is what they will remember down the road. Remember when we had a race at dinner so that we could…..that will be so fun to recall.

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    BeckyJane April 22, 2014 (4:52 pm)

    When all eleven of our kids were still at home, dinner was an adventure! As a mom, what I loved most was sitting back and tuning in to all the different conversations my kids were having with eachother. Meal time together is a satisfying way to feed not only out hungry tummies, but also our hungry minds and hearts. Love your post!

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      Kimberly FiveLittleChefs April 22, 2014 (5:21 pm)

      I enjoy listening in on their conversations as well. Usually they are very kind and polite in those quiet moments. Perhaps not the rest of the day, but for that moment I realize they really do love each other.

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    ladyladuke April 22, 2014 (5:29 pm)

    Oh, all of those faces are adorable, even the grouchy ones! Family meals really do make a difference. It’s where you can do your parenting and guidance. Great post!

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    Julie April 24, 2014 (8:07 am)

    Sometimes someone doesn’t want to sit in their chair. Teaching manners can be frustrating but it is worth it. We’re working on setting the table as part of the dinner routine and to learn helping in small ways saves Mom a lot of time. The table may not look perfect, crooked table cloth, 2 spoons instead of a fork, but we just go with it.

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    Becca April 25, 2014 (1:05 pm)

    Just checked out your “about.” What cute kids you have! Love all the expressions of your little guy!

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