Grandma Knows Best?
July 14, 2008
When my friend Marcea has her grandkids at her house, she does what comes naturally to her. She serves supper at more or less the same time every night. She sets out the same food for everyone. She expects the kids (pre-school through elementary school-age) to sit for awhile and talk to whoever is at the table. "This is how it is here," she says, matter-of-factly.
This is not the way things are done in the grandkids' home. Their mother makes a separate meal for the kids and serves them first. Then the parents sit down. Whenever the kids are finished eating, they leave.
The kids' mother is surprised that, at Marcea's, the kids eat a wider variety of foods, and they actually have something resembling a conversation.
Marcea remembers that, when she was growing up, her parents often had guests for supper. The kids were expected to take part in the conversation. "It's made such a difference to me," she says, "knowing how to talk to all kinds of people."
Marcea's daughter-in-law is now thinking about changing her home routine. Marcea, like a good mother-in-law, is not saying a word.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
