every family eat supper together every night of the year. This is the
time, the experts claim, for “family togetherness” and for each person
to “share his or her day” with everyone else. Sometimes, however,
dinner becomes a time for people to share their hostility toward
everyone else. Tempers as well as appetites can be lost.
What can a parent do to improve this situation? One solution,
obviously, is to not eat together every night. Though some people
consider this sacrilegious, it sure beats fighting all the time. Now you
only have to fight every other night!
Seriously, sometimes you might consider feeding the kids first or
occasionally letting them eat in front of the TV. Or, now and then, let
the kids eat wherever they want to, as long as they bring back their
dishes. Then Mom and Dad can eat in the kitchen or have a peaceful
dinner together later, or if you’re a single parent, you might want a
little time to yourself once in a while.
Another idea is for each parent to periodically take one child out to
dinner as a kind of special occasion. Once a week isn’t a bad idea at
all. This one-parent, one-child setup is one that the kids love. It’s also
one where sibling rivalry is not possible, so the parent is much more
relaxed and able to enjoy himself.
Think about suppertime. Eating supper should be a pleasant
experience. In fact, for most children, eating is a natural and
enjoyable activity that doesn’t require much parental intervention.
With a little planning you can enjoy your evenings a lot more.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Possible Suppertime Routines