Family table; the surest way to bonding

Growing up, family meals were always a cherished tradition in my household. We gathered together at a specific time for dinner, and it was a joyful occasion. The way we strived to eat dinner together at the same time was amazing as in, we were always happy every time food was ready. The oldest sibling would share the meat or fish with everyone, adding a sense of togetherness as we waited patiently for our turn. These moments were filled with laughter and love, creating lasting memories.

However, when I married, I encountered a different dynamic with my husband's family. On my first day with them, I noticed that everyone ate separately, each with their own special plates and cutlery. The spoon and cutlery were quite strange to me. What I discovered later was there was no connection among the children at all because they only acted as siblings but did not demonstrate the loving aspect. This shouldn't be about the food but the memories it creates and I expressed my concerns to my husband I believed that for our relationship to thrive, we needed to establish a shared approach to family meals.

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Initially, my husband struggled to adapt to the idea of eating together as a family. However, over time, he began to see the value in it. I noticed that mealtime together fostered a unique bond and created beautiful memories that enriched our family life. Though my husband was not raised in a culture of family meals, he eventually came to appreciate it. We started gradually to the extent that one of my brother's inlaws said, that his brother that is my husband did not last with the method of eating together but he was surprised at the change level in him. The way he would wait for me so that we could eat together proves, that love is unconditional 🤣

The only time we struggle to eat together would be the time of late work hours, or activities that are beyond our stomach grumbling for food🤣 We won't have to wait if we don't want more noise coming from our bellies. You know what? It was not funny because we felt we no longer bonded, we sometimes don't engage in conversation and connect with one another whenever we get to eat separately. This shared meal is not just about the food, you know but the valuable time for us to catch up on each other's lives, share stories, laugh, and tease each other to strengthen our familial bonds. I love this time and it has been a wonderful custom for us as one👌

I am committed to maintaining our family tradition of eating together and have started teaching our children the importance of these shared meals believing it as a strong avenue to build unity and communication among the children. I believe that gathering around the table helps strengthen our family bonds and creates cherished moments we can all treasure, some of these treasured moments from my growing u that I still remember today. I wouldn't want to change our style of family dinner for any reason, we can only improve on it by making it a moment that lasts forever 👍

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My participation in the #hivelearners writing edition on the subject of family dinner

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