How to Create Family Memories at the Dinner Table

Dinner time, whether out at a restaurant or around the dinner table, can create wonderful memories for you and your family. It is a time that invites sharing and laughter. Use these ideas to help plan ahead and make it free of stress and filled with fun.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Prepare for the Meal

1. Work on manners at breakfast and lunch so you don't have to reprimand at dinner. You want memories to focus on good conversation and good food.
2. Plan your meals and shopping list for the week in advance. This will cut down on the stress of what to prepare. You can even cook ahead or buy pre-packaged dinners. It is more about the experience than the food.
3. Think about conversation starters throughout the day to help everyone open up if you are not in the habit of spending this time together. Tell everyone to come to the table ready to share the most interesting thing that happened to them that day. This will often lead to memories of laughter around the dinner table.
4. Let the kids choose and cook one meal each week, choose a night to introduce a new food that nobody has tried, get takeout Mexican food and hang a strand of chile pepper lights. Cook foods from another culture and include some of their traditions, eat in front of a special movie with your menu representing that theme or take a picnic to the lake.

During and After the Meal

5. Invite and encourage everyone to help in preparation for dinnertime. This gives everyone a chance to connect before dinner starts.
6. Guide the conversation toward positive topics. Discuss problems at another time. Don't criticize, judge or gripe.
7. Involve kids in any topic you are talking about and ask the about their day as well.
8. Laugh and enjoy one another. Let this be a special time when you can put all the stress of the day aside and remember how special these memories will be for you and your family.

Tips & Warnings

• Make it a goal to implement these ideas once or twice a week. Don't worry if you don't have time to sit together every night.
• Make sure everyone understands that the television will be off and phone calls will have to wait.