In her book “Bringing up Bébé,” Pamela Druckerman talks about how French parenting differs from North American parenting styles.
French families usually serve meals in courses with vegetables offered first when the kids are the most hungry.
Everyone eats the same thing.
Kids are encouraged to take 3 bites of everything to learn how to love new foods.
Food education is integrated with the social aspect of families sitting down for dinner, catching up on the day.
I’m pretty sure the author would be shocked at my family’s experience last year playing competitive hockey. I estimate 50% of my kids’ dinners were gulped in the car. And Timbits made up 10% of their diet!
Perhaps some people will think sitting down for dinner is inefficient or “not enriching” a child’s life, but I disagree.
When I reduced my kids’ extracurricular activities this year, a daily sit-down dinner became the norm. And it now feels like a much-needed wind-down after a busy day. And a true daily rest is so key to feeling alive and grateful for each day.
Vitality (both physical and emotional) and connection are both nourished at the family dinner table. It is a life-sustaining family habit and one that I now try to protect.
We laugh.
We listen to music.
We face each other.
I gaze at their no longer chubby faces for hints of the baby they used to be.
They talk about their day.
I learn about gen alpha slang.
We try to get a lot of colours into their meals since they’ve learned to eat more of the salads and are used to trying types of produce. They have also discovered an early fascination with chili crisp.
None of this happens by accident.
It really feels like my daily pause.
Give it a try!
Question: “What’s for dinner?”
