What? Your mom cooks?

Let me take you back.

It’s the late 1980s. One of my daughters and her friend had been working on a big school project all afternoon.

It was cold and dark out and time for dinner, so I offered to give her friend a ride home. 

“Hey, please Mom, we’re almost finished. Can’t she stay and eat with us?”

“Well, sure, I guess. We’re having spaghetti, is that ok?” 

My daughter’s friend turned, looked at her, and stammered, “What? Your mom cooks? Dinner? For reals? Yes, please, sounds great. We just pick up burgers or pizza or something.”

Now it was my kids’ turn to be flabbergasted because they had been a tad bit jealous of the kids who always got burgers or pizza or something. Thinking of a home cooked meal as a special treat was a jolt that day.

The research is pretty clear. A tradition of regularly sharing a family meal helps our kids develop the confidence and resilience they need to tackle the challenges they face out there in the world every day.

The predictable time spent together is probably way more important than what we eat or even what time we eat, but I still think it doesn’t hurt to have some really good food on that shared table.

Here’s to more resilient wins at home and school,

Anne