My Tribe's Vibe: TV Dinners

A lot of family life centers around food.

At least, ours does. The Harris crew loves to eat. We love to talk about food and plan what we are going to eat next. We love to cook.

Major bike wrecks don't even keep us from cooking! (2012)

We are all about it.

Because of that, the next few posts are going to be food/meal time related.

I grew up in a home where we ate our meals as a family around the table in our kitchen. I have good memories of that time. Lots of southern home cooking and lots of good conversation happened around that kitchen table. And one of the boundaries in place during my childhood that fostered at least the good conversation part of meal times came from my dad. He had one simple rule concerning meals - no TV.

I don't know if I ever thanked him for that rule, but I wish I could.

When Lou and I got married, we decided to adopt that same rule. Even before kids, we'd turn the TV off and sit down together for our meals. (Of course, there were times we didn't, but this was/is the prevailing custom in our family).

So after kids, it just continued.

And after kids, meals became more hectic for sure. Our big joke when the kids were little was that as soon as the "Amen" of the blessing was said, both of us jumped up to get something else that was needed. I'm smiling remembering that crazy time.

But we didn't have the distraction of the TV or the added noise of the TV.

If this is something you've never tried, but think you might like to, of course I would encourage you in that! It may feel awkward at first. But I hope you push through! :) It's worth it.

And today, with DVRs, missing TV shows because it is time to eat is not even an issue.

However, today, with TVs on during meals, missing good conversation is most assuredly an issue.