Celebrating Relationships… Around the Dinner Table

I love my work at Close To My Heart because it’s all about celebrating relationships. And I love my work at home, because celebrating relationships is also my job as a mom. This week, I gave a presentation in my women’s church group about the importance of dinnertime as family time.

I’ve learned through the years that family dinner is about more than food—it’s about each other. No matter how simple the meal, I truly believe that preparing it and eating it together shows our children how much we love them. At the dinner table, we can provide an example of prayer and gratitude for the food. We listen, communicate, and encourage each other to share what’s on our minds.

In my presentation, I shared some ideas to promote fun and communication at the dinner table—they’re surprisingly fun and easy. For example:

•Try creating a “What’s On Your Mind” jar containing a list of simple questions you can pull out and answer in turns. Choose age-appropriate questions for your family members, such as “What’s your favorite thing to do on a Saturday?” or “What is your favorite season and why?” or “What qualities do you admire most in other people?”

•Fill a “Shout Out” box with compliments during the week and read them at dinnertime. Family members can add a shout out whenever they see someone exhibiting kindness, hard work, or going the extra mile.

•Play a “Guess Who” game. Each family member writes down something personal about themselves but omits their name. During dinner, pull out slips and guess who the statement belongs to.

•Discuss everyone’s “High/Low.” Get people talking by asking what the best and worst parts of your day. “Highs” are great opportunities for praise, and “lows” are great opportunities for support.

As part of the program, several other women shared ideas to make meal time more special and easy, including some fun recipe ideas. One of my favorites was Kelly’s incredible homemade granola. She whipped up a batch in minutes right in front of us and shared the results. It was so tasty, I made some at home. You’ll want to, too—and gather the whole family to share it!

Here’s the recipe:

Kelly’s Homemade Granola

(blend the following in a Bosch or similar mixer)
7 C. rolled oats
2½ C. whole wheat flour
½ C. sesame seeds
1 C. sunflower seeds
1 C. chopped dates
1 C. raisins
1 C. flaked coconut
1 C. chopped almonds
1 C. non-fat dry milk

In a blender, liquefy the following:
1 C. oil
1 T. salt
1 C. brown sugar
½ C. honey
½ C. water
1½ t. vanilla
1½ t. maple syrup

Add to dry ingredients and mix thoroughly. Divide mixture between two cookie sheets. Bake at 250 degrees for 45 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. Mixture is still soft and moist when removed from oven. Cool. When dry and crisp, place in plastic container.