We have a secret ingredient for you, the magic that’s guaranteed to make family dinner last. Fun. OK, not much of a secret, but sometimes in the rush of daily life, despite our best efforts, we forget all about it. So bring it on! Giggle a little. Smile a lot. Get caught with your mouth full of water right when you need to burst out laughing. Or simply enjoy each other’s company. You want family dinner to last, right? We’re all more likely to stick with something if it’s fun, so find the fun and keep this story going.
Try This:
How do you start? Play with your food! You may have grown up hearing the opposite, but now you’re old enough to know better. Find ways to be playful at the table. Talk about a “recipe” for a family dinner that includes the food, the fun and the conversation. Use some of our ideas to help you.
Ways to Play
- When you serve dinner, make the plate fun: Try a landscape of meatloaf, broccoli and potatoes or a face with pasta and meatballs
- Have a conversation in pig Latin
- Play Iron Chef
- Play restaurant
- Play one of our many, many dinner games
This could be a good week to engage other friends and family in the changes you’re making. You could invite someone to become a featured guest for family dinner. Or you could ask three people you know (or post a question on your Facebook page) about fun family dinners they remember or good games you could try. You might be surprised by the ideas and encouragement that come your way.
More resources to help with Week 3:
CELEBRATE! A fun evening with your family might seem like a celebration in itself, but also take a moment to notice what went well this week. People come out of their shells when they’re comfortable and having a good time. That’s a big deal, and you’ve just done it. All the conversations with each other and with friends might also have given you a full menu of great games and recipes for go-to fun dinners in the future.
Introduction
Make the Commitment
Make it Simple
Make it Fun
Make it Matter