Dinner Time

This may be considered a rant...there's your warning. :)

In Relief Society we were talking about "Becoming Goodly Parents" from Elder Perry's last conference talk and one section included having dinner as a family. I love eating together as a family, and I'm grateful my parents always made the effort to eat together as a family. I think there are great things that can be shared as you spend that time together every day.

Elder Perry said "Eat together as often as possible, making dinner a time of communication and the teaching of values." The teacher shared her testimony that dinnertime can be a peaceful, uplifting, enjoyable time.

One sister laughed. "Peaceful?! Dinnertime is anything but peaceful!" Then she went on to say that at dinnertime people talked, sometimes laughed, sometimes yelled, food fights, crude jokes, standing on chairs, etc. It was chaotic, but that (her parents as a child, and now her as a parent) never lectured the kids. It was a place you could do whatever you wanted, say whatever you wanted, and knew you would be loved.

Everyone agreed. Dinner should be a "safe place."

I get her idea. And I'm not to saying that is not what you should do, but that is not what it needs to be. Call me old fashioned, but I think dinnertime is a time of communication, but also teaching of values. I believe children should learn, for one, etiquette. The dinner table is not a time to be crude, or loud. If you're not happy, if you're throwing a fit, you can leave the table and go to your room. Yes we eat with silverware. Teach manners. Some people  don't understand, or even know how to be proper at the dinner table. I have heard people share stories on how they were so embarrassed by certain missionaries. I don't want my boys to be those missionaries. :) So yes, I think great things can be taught and it is possible to have a peaceful, uplifting, and enjoyable time at the dinner table.

(Note, I have talked with this sister a few times when I've mentioned my kids being crazy at the table and her solution is always, 'They're kids. Is it really that big of a deal?' True, on some things, but that is her outlook on just about everything. And for me, yes, it is a big deal. I think kids need rules. I think kids need to learn how obey rules. I don't think it is necessary to let them do whatever they want so that home is a place they want to be. Anyway, rant complete. :)