Family Meals: When Dinner Schedules Dont Match

Mealtimes together deserve an important place in any family. Around the table, family members connect, children learn the art of conversation, and a spirit of peace and thankfulness can flourish.

But work, long commutes, sports, music and religious education can make for hectic evenings. As a result, it's sometimes impossible for the whole family to eat dinner together.

A solution: Snacktime!

You don't have to resign yourself to family members' going their own way all evening. Once everyone is home, a family snack can be a simple and effective way to connect.

Make it easy on yourself. A bowl of popcorn or a store-bought treat works fine. Brownies or cookies quickly made from a mix fill the house with an inviting aroma. During cold weather, our family enjoys sweets with a pot of peppermint or raspberry tea.

Add a bit of structure to the conversation to make sure everyone is included and peace prevails. For example, you might ask each person to name the best thing that happened in their day. Everyone else around the table then responds with a comment and a follow-up question.

You can also ask gently whether anyone has a problem that could use your help. Save disciplinary matters for another time.

If snacktime isn't right for your family, you might enjoy a different strategy. Some families go for an evening walk, gather for prayer or share a read-aloud.

The key is to set aside an pleasant, peaceful time when family members can lovingly connect.

A sweet ending to a busy day.

(c) 2004 Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC

Norma Schmidt, Coach, LLC, specializes in helping women who are both professionals and parents create balance. She offers teleclasses, workshops and individual and group coaching. Norma publishes "The Balance Point," a free e-zine, every other Friday. Visit http://www.NormaSchmidt.com

---

Legacy to Your Children

John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More

Ten Terrific Ideas for Rainy Day Fun

It's been raining for a week and the kids and... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Truth or Lie?

Attention all parents of teen-agers. Here is an important, groundbreaking... Read More

I Dont Believe in ADHD

O.K. I've heard it a hundred times from my prison... Read More

Fraternal Twin Parenting Concerns

Identity and Your Fraternal TwinFor the most part, throughout this... Read More

Raising Boys

The last decade has seen heightened interest in and awareness... Read More

Putting Your Child To Bed

Are you glad for the chance to put your child... Read More

Helping Your Child Cope With A Long-Term Illness

All children will likely have many different health problems during... Read More

Childrens Friendships Made Easy

Most research into children's friendships shows that those children who... Read More

Things To Teach Your Teenage Driver

Is it hard to communicate with your teenager about issues... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: The Teenager and the Gorilla

Q: A parent writes in to ask, "You write a... Read More

Vouchers --- Parents, Dont Depend On Them

Vouchers, which give tax money to parents to pay for... Read More

Breastfeeding, Its My Right

My name is Duncan and I'm 2 years old. I... Read More

Uniforms

Direct Answers - Column for the week of May 31,... Read More

Top 5 Characteristics of Good Leadership to Instill in Our Home School Children

I am sure that this list can be jogged and... Read More

Fun Things to Do with Your Kids this Summer

10 Fun Things You Can Do With Your Children this... Read More

Building Self Confidence

Several similar terms describe the central attribute of a character... Read More

Top 10 Ways to Motivate Your Student

As the new school year begins, parents play a pivotal... Read More

Surviving As A Single Parent: Seven Simple Suggestions To Make Your Life Easier

1 - Forgive even if you will never be able... Read More

Television - The Great SATAN!

I've often thought that in 6 million years, archaeologists will... Read More

Disciplining the Wild Child

Do you have a wild child? Then this article may... Read More

A Place For Everything: Its Childs Play

What parent hasn't gone into a son's or daughter's room... Read More

Top 10 Mistakes by New and Expectant Dads

From criticizing a spouse, to claming up about one's own... Read More

Homes for Troubled Teens: Therapeutic and Residential

For troubled teens who are struggling with drug abuse, depression... Read More

Elephants and Teenagers

Something eerily familiar happened in KwaZulu-Natal's Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Park in Africa... Read More

Career Education: Does Not Mean the 6 Year College Plan

Researching career education uncovered the following shocking statistic: The average... Read More

How to Set Healthy Limits at Work

Back in college, I wrote for a five-day-a-week, award-winning campus... Read More

Motivation - The Key to Your Childs Educational Success

For the first year or two of life outside the... Read More

The Secret, Unconscious Game Children and Parents Play Where No One Wins!

Did you know there's a game children and parents play... Read More

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: What Do We Mean by Attention Anyway?

When we talk about attention, we are talking about two... Read More

What Values Are We Giving Our Children?

On a bright Sunday morning, a couple of weeks ago,... Read More

Teenagers in America Today

"Family Matters" was the headline that caught my attention in... Read More

PG Rating Isnt What It Used To Be

If there are any parents reading this who are thinking... Read More