Sitting Down at the Table

For the past several years I've been keeping a secret hidden within my house.  It's something that I am not proud of.  It's a problem that had a very simple solution, but I just could never get it fixed.  It was one of the tasks that I wrote on my To Do List every weekend but never crossed off.  I would transfer it to the next weekend's list with a promise to myself that I would get it done.  Yet the situation hung over my head weighing me down and reminding me daily of missed opportunities and memories. 

My kitchen table is a disaster!

It's my dumping ground, my junk drawer, my albatross!

 

 

After spending the week with my family on vacation where we ate every single meal together, I was reminded yet again that I am missing out on A LOT by holding our kitchen table hostage with my junk.  Not only was I missing out, but more importantly I was depriving my kids of life lessons, memories and forced vegetable eating.  So this weekend I moved "clear off kitchen table" to the top of the To Do List and I CROSSED IT OFF!

 

We've shared two meals together so far and it has been great.  When we first sat down, my daughter said, "I remember when we used to do this!"  I didn't know whether I should laugh, cry or crawl under the table in complete humiliation. 

 

Eating together as a family is so important.  It's a chance to share experiences, create memories and pass on important life lessons.  Cell phones are set aside and real conversation happens.  I'm looking forward to the opportunities I will have to help my kids try new foods and encourage them to eat more of the healthy ones.  I've already noticed two things:

1) There was less food being scraped from the plates into the garbage can.

2) No one snacked after dinner.

 

As I strive to help my family be healthy and happy, I think this may be one of the best things I've done.  Who knows why it took me so long to accomplish it.  That's neither here nor there.  The table is cleared off, my little secret is out in the open and my family will be sitting down at the table for dinner tonight and for many nights to come.  Today is a good day.