i just started reading a book that my stepmom, sam, gave me the hour that matters most. okay, okay, i know, i have a bunch a different reads happening right now. this is really unusual for me, but currently i have my dazzling parenting book, my workbook for sunday school, my pleasure reading book the help and now this one. this is unusual because normally i do not possess the power to keep it all straight, but for some reason i am able to keep the four books i have going straight, must be all those blueberries i ate over the summer.
before i get into this book, i want to update you on my dazzling parenting book. i was excited to learn some new tools that i could use with my ratchets, but honestly the ladies that penned this book are nuts. as you know, i consider myself to be a Christian and i don't have anything against religion, but these ladies seem like fanatics. they are the exact people that i would shy my children away from, that comes across really harsh, but seriously i would walk the other way. sure i've only read 3 chapters, but the third chapter was by far the hardest for me to read. i was frantically writing notes on all the ways i disagreed or just thought the rationale was crazy town. i have no idea how i am going to make it through the whole class without ripping my hair out. i suppose it's a good thing those ladies aren't actually teaching the class we might have a throw down, which i would win.
so the new book. the focus is coming together as a family at least once a day for a meal. i grew up this way, i do this with my own kids, and honestly i think it is strange that a good majority of folks don't do this in their homes. i understand why it doesn't happen (multiple schedules, food likes/dislikes, lack of time) but a family dinner is very important to me and i do everything in my power to make that happen. even if it is just a bowl of cereal, we sit together for the 2.2 minutes that it takes to consume it.
i found myself with an extra 10 minutes yesterday afternoon. once a week i have two extra kiddos who come home with us, my kids love having friends to hang and play with. so after all four kids got their homework done and they all enjoyed a snack (peanut butter and chocolate chip crescent rolls; these were a hit) the lot was playing soccer out in the yard. i took this opportunity to crack open the book. i have been itching to dive into it, so i got my pen, post-it notes, a cup of tea and sat down at the kitchen table. i wasn't able to get very far, in fact i haven't even made it into the first chapter, but i was hooked.
the introduction has some interesting facts that i wanted to share
1. 65% of teens and young adults spend less than hour a day unplugged. oh geez, i must considered a young adult. i am very, very guilty of this. ever since i treated myself to my iphone for my birthday last year, i have been addicted to my phone. my friend beth and i had held off getting smart phones because we didn't want to be those people who are hunched over their tiny screen. well, i have turned into that person. sigh. i play games, listen to music, check my facebook, email, text, call, take pictures...you name it i do it on my phone. i use it as my alarm clock, which means i sleep with it. occasionally i answer texts that come through in the middle of the night. my phone is like an extension of my hand, i always have it on my person.
2. in the 1950's the McDonald's Corporation was born in southern california. today McDonald's is the nation's largest purchaser of beef, pork and potatoes. according to Eric Schlosser author of fast food nation, the golden arches are now more widely recognized than the Christian cross. these statistics are mind blowing to me. an establishment that slings burgers, fries and shakes has had and will continue to have such a big impact on our nation. this makes me wonder where our nation would be without McDonald's?
3. about the same time drive-thrus started sweeping the nation, tv dinners were unveiled, instant rice was introduced and the microwave. the mindset in the 1950's went from nutritional value of a meal to how fast can i put a complete meal on the table. i don't think we have just drive-thrus and microwaves to blame, the shift in the workforce i think has had a big impact on family meals.
all of this is from the introduction. mind boggling! i may change my mind on the importance of this book, but i will tell you right now that i am thinking this is a must read. i did skim the book and throughout there are tips on dinner discussion, there are meal ideas, and of course more statistics. yippee
as i said above, i grew up with the constitution of the family dinner. it didn't matter where we lived, who was a part of our life, what after school activities we had, being home for dinner was required. there were very few excuses that were good enough to miss family dinners.
as a mamma of two kiddos, i have continued this tradition, but we have added breakfast. i cook breakfast for my children every day, they have one day during the school week that is cold breakfast day, this is the day that i don't prepare a hot meal. most mornings you can find me in my uglier than ugly pink robe and slippers with wet hair flipping french toast, pancakes or eggs. yes they are spoiled. i eat my breakfast in liquid form, coffee.
dinners are most often eaten at the table, occasionally we eat in the living room and watch a movie, but this is a special night. i will admit that being on top of my game and cooking every night is challenging. there are times when i am beat and i just don't feel like cooking. since we aren't really a "left-over" family, those nights tend to be pizza or a drive-thru. there are also times that i love a good ol' fashion gut bomb from McDonald's (i like the quarter pounder with cheese), unfortunately it doesn't like me so much.
please don't take this as i am patting myself on the back for a job well done. i am guilty of drive-thrus, crap dinners, sitting at the table with my phone and completely ignoring my children, but i would say that we eat more meals together than not. we eat more home cooked meals than not. i am engaged with my kids more times than not. okay maybe just a small pat on the back.
i can't wait to dive into this book. thank you sam. i love you.
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