Family Dinners

Until recently, when Kelly got home from work, we would drag Ethan's highchair over to the couch and eat dinner in front of the TV. A few weeks ago i decided we needed to start our family dinners. Ethan is 14 months old now, sure too young to talk and chat during dinner but I want to get him into the routine of sitting at the table not in front of the TV for dinner.

When I was growing up we would have a family dinner every single night, our TV wasn't even in the same room as the kitchen table. When we were finished we would all say 'Thank you for dinner" (Not 'May I be excused'). So this is what we have started. Now everynight we drag Ethan's highchair over to the table and eat there. I've always been used to waiting until everyone is at the table until we start eating. Unfortunately Kelly takes FAR too long to prepare his dinner that mine would be cold if I did this. So until the kids are older i will just be happy with everyone eating at the same table, with the TV off.

If our new house, we (well I) plan on only having one TV in the house. In the bonus room upstairs. I even made it so there are no cable outlets downstairs. Kelly thinks this is going to be a mistake, i disagree, Right now Ethan pays no attention to the TV and I want to keep it that way. I grew up with three channels, we don't need to be watching TV everyday all day (but don't get me wrong I love the TV). But just in the one room is fine.

Lets see, one other change our family has made, we no longer eat red meat. I found that we had been eating red meat like every single night and it was getting kind of gross, I never really felt good after the meals. I have substituted all ground beef with either ground chicken or turkey, and it is SO much better. Everything tastes great (some would argue that you lose taste when you do this), i disgree it tastes so much better and I feel so much better after every meal. So now I just need to branch out and try some new recipes. I don't think we will ever resort to tofu, but this small and easy change feels great!

Wow, from family dinners, to TV to red meat, kind of went off. Guess i have too much to say!