Which would you rather do…
eat dinner with your kids or pull out all your eyelashes one by one?
If you have young kids, then you know EXACTLY why I’m asking this question…and what my answer is (eyelashes DEF)!
One Sunday night during dinner, my husband turned to me and said, “THIS keeps them off drugs?”
I responded, “I’m not sure because all it does is make me want to drink.”
This got me to thinking…there are TONS of places with advice about eating dinner with your kids nightly – you even have to tell how many nights a week you eat dinner together on the well check papers at the pediatrician’s office.
But no where does anyone talk about what an absolute nightmare dinner time is when your kids are young.
5 Myths about Dinner Time
I was looking around online and found an article on WedMD about all the amazing benefits of eating dinner with your kids…and I actually laughed out loud at each one. So I thought I’d pull out my favorites and do a little myth busting of my own.
Myth #1 – They eat more fruits and veggies. What they fail to mention is that this only happens if the 4th Thursday of the month lands on an odd numbered day AND happens to be a full moon AND no one has a runny nose…otherwise, it’s a full on battle of “how many do I have to eat?” and gagging sounds for 30 minutes.
Myth #2 – You’re a better parent. I know I can’t be alone…but this is NOT my finest hour as a parent…and if this is the best it gets, then I have no clue how the human race has continued to grow.
Myth #3 – You’ll talk more. If these conversations include threats and bribes, then YES we do talk more. And the conversation that we have most often at the dinner table usually includes me saying, “If you fart one more time at the table, you’ll go to bed without dinner.”
Myth #4 – They’ll stay away from drugs and alcohol. But you will drink twice as much as the average American adult.
Myth #5 – There is less stress and tension in the home. This was when I seriously started laughing out loud. This is the most stressful part of my day…how can it actually be what REDUCES stress in the house?
I will admit that my friends with older kids tell me it gets better, but for now…
I’ll just buy bigger wine glasses!
Leave me a comment below and tell me how you survive dinner time!
PS – Have you seen this Fred Dinner Plate? It turns dinner into a game…I’m thinking it might work once at least! Totally going to buy it now!