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Busy, Shmizzy: Eat Together for a Better World

Folks, it’s time for a post update. We still fearlessly, tirelessly, endlessly march on, supping together in hopes of a higher purpose. Manners are hard to come by here at the Manor. This week I see that mac-n-cheese is still perceived and approached as finger food. Opposable thumbs do not impress our small humans. The Mrs., and me, our voices continue to make no sound at all to our giggly little, pierced ears who nosh (eat a little) during this very important nutritional act of derring-do. My glass, it stays half full yes, they spilled again, but I am using the metaphor now. 

and this is how we eat noodles
and this is how we eat noodles, in stereo with Cousin Max, at a restaurant no less, in public… Oy!

I’m always telling suggesting to the Mrs. about the importance of sitting down together to ess a bissel (eat a little). How we need to dine with the full mishpocheh (family). Studies by big machers (hot shots) like scholars and doctors all laud the big meal get together as the solution to practically all that plagues the planet (don’t get me started, oy vey iz mir).

Jointly sitting and supping brings benefits to the body, brain and overall ‘mini-mojo’ of our kinder (kids). A nice nosh (proper meal) together makes for little Epicureans that become ‘epi-curious’ eaters who will choose more fruits and veggies, and pick less fried foods and sugary beverages. If mealtime is conquered correctly, the consuming kinder (children) are less likely to kvell (be happy) over a ‘happy meal’ that is loaded with tasty toxins, added fats, oils and who the hell knows what other unsavory ingredients. They won’t hunger for the little tchotchkes (small, unnecessary plastic toys), that promote future gluttony and materialism. They will be less likely to become obese. That alone equals a healthier lifestyle with fewer illnesses. Kaynahorah (to ward off evils — like the big C, heart disease and stroke), all this magic with one familial sit down a day?

Wait! There’s more. Those same above-mentioned mavens add that clever conversation over a nice meal boosts vocabulary for our kinder (kids), which makes for stronger, happier readers. Nu? If you can survive manage regular family mealtimes as the kinder mature, higher test scores, better grades and overall academic performance are in your future.

Add an avocado to the meal, and you win top honors in Nobel nutrition.

Well, it is obvious that no maven of any sort has observed the goings on at our little corner of the dining room here at the Manor. The Mrs. and me, we do our best to offer nightly variations of healthy, overly expensive organic suppers while trying to stick to our frugalista rice and beans every night still ways. With you, I must be honest, dinners hock mier en chinikeh (drives me bat-shit crazy). Etiquette and decorum have left the building by this witching hour!

Things usually start smoothly. The girls, they clean up a bit and set the table when we beg, plead and bribe. They help bring out our food (beans and rice). We all sit, and the Mrs. and I, we ask open-ended questions like a job interview to try to get them to respond speak with us. They sit with their knees up, spread eagle (vey iz mir), and have clearly left their listening ears in the ‘OFF’ position. They seem to have their own form of communication that is specifically designed to exclude us. They use their fingers instead of utensils even for soup. In fact, just last night, I was prompted to wax eloquent on the beauty of our opposable thumbs and how they separate us from the animal kingdom in hopes they would just pick up a g-damned fork or a spoon and eat like humans.

Little, she has a tendency to lick random and incredibly disgusting things WTF. She gets up from the table an average of  267 times per meal. She may need more water, go use the bathroom, want something better to eat, have an undeniable urge to dance, jump on the trampoline, or simply incite an enormous giggle-fest with Big. And I won’t kid you when I say it, she ‘toots like a trumpeter’ at the table. My madelah (sweet little girl)!

Big, she started with the whole knees up posture. She may use a fork for a moment or two, then she will quickly resort to her more primal instincts and pick up everything with her fingers, especially condiments. She can tell a story or two during dinner, and get up to act it out, share via interpretive dance, or become totally taken in by the mishegas (craziness) of Little. This leaves the Mrs. and me sitting table-side for what must be days, weeks, months hours, getting all cobwebby, and stiff-jointed, waiting for her to finish the feast.

And mittendrinnen (in the middle of everything), Gatsby, will jump into any temporarily vacated seat, and make a quick and successful quest for any food sitting idle.

Gatsby, on the prowl
Gatsby, on the prowl

The shvesters (sisters) behavior has the Mrs. and me chugging the Apple Cider Vinegar (an excellent indigestion remedy) nightly, straight from the bottle. It’s a mitzvah (good deed) we don’t drink enough or at all!

Lo and behold, we will endure these rituals because we have put our trust in the big macher alrightniks (good people).

Charlotte, she will weave her nightly web around us. We make this sacrifice night after night with the promise that our girls will not engage in high-risk behaviors like smoking, drugs or sex ever, ever, ever. They won’t have depressed or suicidal thoughts. They will avoid bullies at school and online. They will be self-confident and self-loving and avoid eating disorders.

They will be strong, mighty girls who can lean in at any table. And they will have empathy and compassion, because each night, we do our best to make it through another make your own burrito bowl.

I wonder if there are any studies of what happens to us mom’s as we suffer go through this phase?

A bei gezunt (Live and be well).

 

Linky’s:

      

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44 thoughts on “Busy, Shmizzy: Eat Together for a Better World”

  4. Pingback: Sunday Share: Week 39 | All In A Dad's Work

  5. We all eat in the same room, but very little talking gets done! I think I need to set a better example as most nights I eat at my desk, trying to finish the 101 things I need to. There is one problem with wanting to eat altogether and that is that we don’t actually have a dining table (or any table we could all sit round). How uncouth are we lol.
    #FamilyFun

    Liked by 1 person

  6. Oh I hear you lovely. We always sit/stand/laugh/cry/talk and care for each others mental well being at the dinner table. I definitely see it as the hub of our family and I have now got the boys engaged in chores which involves setting and clearing the table too. Little man sounds just like your little, he’s a champion trumpeter and getter upper too. #mg

    Liked by 1 person

  7. I always use to try to male sure at least one meal a week was a sit down family meal. Just to encourage my kids to develop table manners. This has fallen by the wayside bit now we dont have a dining room or kitchen big enough to eat in but we still like to eat together even if it is off table trays. #funfamilylinky

    Liked by 1 person

  8. It’s hard to eat at the dinner table when the dinner table is always full of mail and other clutter (a habit I picked up from my great-aunt). We sometimes eat together at the coffee table in the living room if that counts, lol. It’s hard to do sometimes though but even still I don’t think the big shots are all knowing about it. #FamilyFunLinky

    Liked by 1 person

  9. My son often tips up his plate and then throws it on the floor before eating with his hands (he is 1 though!) and it’s been a real nightmare constantly telling my daughter to use her spoon or fork! I’m glad I’m not the only one 🙂 #KCACOLS

    Liked by 1 person

  10. Hi Lisa *waves. We always make a point of eating at the table. It seems to really help in terms of family bonding and taking a pause together to just chat about our days. Having said that, it’s always go, and do we stay at the table for very long. Nope. Thanks so much for joining us for the #DreamTeam xx

    Like

  11. We practice said nighttime rituals and always have too. I do believe it will work for us too one day! He’s only 2 and has similar traits of up and down, no cutlery, general licking of many things. It’s good fun though and wouldn’t have it any other way!! ‪Thank you for linking up to the #familyfunlinky‬

    Liked by 1 person

  12. We always eat together mostly at the table indoor or outdoor if nice weather, but we have family nights where we all watch a kids show and eat on the couch for a treat. Mine get up a hundred times too especially the youngest. We usually talk about the best and worst things that happened each day whilst the youngest pours sauce on anything he can! Sometimes fingers are the best tool, and as long as it’s fun (which it sounds like it is) then what does it matter! #mg

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That’s a good way to be… I will not think about it (well, that’s not true…) I will not mention it, and maybe the manners fairy will come by and sprinkle manners pixie dust on them! ❤ #mg xoxo

      Like

  13. Haha, dinner at yours sounds like fun! We eat together at the weekends and yes both mine use their fingers for everything! During the week the two of them sit at the table whilst I get jobs done, we have our tea later x
    Thanks for joining #kcacols

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Eating at the same time is always a struggle for us as we never know what time hubby will be home from one day to the next. We do okay though. Thanks for joining in at #TriumphantTales. Hope to see you back on Tuesday.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. When my wife was pregnant we started taking dinnertime more seriously. We stopped watching tv during dinner and relegated it to weekends only (and not even then). When we moved we made sure the dinner table is always clear for dinner and we eat at the table at least three times a weeek. Sometimes my son has dinner before I get home because he’s tired but we try to eat together the three of us once a week. He’s only thirteen months so that will change. #kcacols

    Liked by 1 person

  20. This made me smile, I love that Big gets up to do interpretive dance 😀 and Little sounds like my little who will not sit still for two seconds! Family dinners are the best though 😀 thanks for sharing with #StayClassyMama!

    Liked by 1 person

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