DINNER TIME What do U expect?

Dinner Time

What do you expect. I have decided to take a trip to staples and map out exactly
what I expect on a gold sign which stands against the piano music stand. The Piano
sits in the dining room and is a great holder for the dinner table cards, the dinner
table manners books and now the EXPECTATION POSTER.


*ALL SIX CHILDREN ARE EXPECTED TO COME TO THE TABLE
In our house we all know that Dinner time is early and
all the children are reminded every day that dinner time is
coming. To help with the hungry coming home from school
snacking I make sure to put out string beans, carrots and
bananas and grapes on the kitchen counter. Sure the Oreo
in the cabinet is what they are seeking but I do get some pickers

* ALL SIX CHILDREN SHARE WHAT THEY FEEL GRATEFUL FOR
The message of being grateful and thankful is one that will
come up a lot in many pages of our blog. Here is where we ask
the children to appreciate either silently or out loud something
they are thankful for this week, this day or the moment

They sound a bit like this:

*I am thankful that my brother is staying at school late for sports

*I am thankful mom did woodworking with me at school today

*I am thankful we raised a lot of money for the seeing eye dog
from our Kindergarten Bake Sale

*I am thankful we are gonna see Taylor Swift soon, think we can
go backstage?

*I am thankful I am not hungry cause "Is this all you know how
to cook, mom?"

and later.......

*I am thankful there was no food left and I am getting Chinese
Food!


*YOU MUST ASK TO BE EXCUSED
This is the hardest one for me. The children live in their
own worlds for the most part and understanding that
they should remain at the table until everyone is finished
eating sometimes can seem like torture for them.

When the table is set just a bit nicer, the candles are lit,
and extra effort was put into the dinner, i am finding the
children are rising to the occassion. Sometimes they are
dancing to the occassion.

With the music playing in the dining room before anyone is
even called to dinner, children get a happy feeling, something
sounds nice in there......

Good luck with your dinner time signs and keep the music playing !