Most families today have full lives - kids included.

In a world of extracurricular activities, work for Dad and/or Mom, church nights, school, volunteer opportunities, errands and more!, we can feel a little overwhelmed with the idea of regularly sitting to eat together.

While I think any meal shared as a family is great and beneficial, there's something special about dinnertime.

First, we've already experienced most of our day; we're coming in for a landing by evening. Then, it's the one meal where many families may find it's possible to gather due to work and school schedules.

I have fond memories of our family dinners growing up. We laughed, discussed, and even debated many topics! It's a practice I hope to continue with our children as much as we can.

A few ideas for gathering the family:

Nothing Fancy Needed

Every meal certainly doesn't need to be gourmet. My favorite dinner times have been picnics in our family room - on the floor! We just spread out a blanket, used paper plates and ate dinner there.

The meal also doesn't need to be homemade if takeout is more convenient for a particular night. The point is to be together.

Connect with One Another

Yes, it can get kind of boring just asking 'what did you do today?' every single night, so try to switch it up! You can share about the happenings of the day or use dinner time to be conversational about many other topics.

My husband seems to be able to think of these off the top of his head. But if you're like me, you might appreciate free printables of dinner questions for the family.

Grow Together

Sometimes dinner is a quick event - we need to get to evening activities or move on to other work. Try to linger at the table as often as you can and allow for extra time when possible.

Family dinner may be a great time for devotionals or spiritual discussions as well depending on your children's ages. Read books together, bring up a topic for discussion (and be open to opinions of older kids & teens!), or use a devotional specific for mealtime.

Be together in the same space and place, but don't leave it there. Connect deeper as a family and build a memory bank of great conversations.

Maybe it really can't happen every night in your family - that's okay! Go with the evenings that do work and be intentional about your time together. Think comfort, support, nourishment and connection.

Enjoy one another around the table...

Resources for You:

More Conversations Starter Questions
The Family Dinner book and website - I've read the book and found it encouraging & helpful
Family Dinner Pinterest board by Family Fun Magazine - lots of yummy ideas
Whit's End Mealtime Devotions

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