The Book of New Family Traditions by Meg Cox Read Free Book Online Page A

from time to time where table manners were not allowed. “We would eat outside, throw our chicken bones and corn cobs on the ground. There was plenty of smacking of lips, burping and elbows on the table,” she recalls. Ellie could invite friends. (Origin story: Ellie’s mom started the ritual because her own mother was very strict about table manners, and they ate at Grandma’s house once a week. This was her antidote.)
    Opera Meals
    One family I know occasionally declares an Opera Meal, and everybody sings instead of speaking, even to ask, “Please, pass the butter.” Being in tune isn’t a requirement, and they all get pretty silly. An alternative is to try a silent meal and see if everyone can communicate entirely with hand signals.
    Finger Food Only
    Once a week, serve a meal that requires absolutely no utensils and let the kids eat with their hands. Even salad and vegetables taste better that way. This could be an all-appetizer meal (be sure to include veggies and dip as one way to keep it nutritious), or an ethnic dinner, for instance, Chinese dumplings and ribs.
    Friday Night Special
    When her three kids were younger, Patricia Gray had a Friday night ritual of “pizza with a video on a picnic blanket with all the junk food I won’t serve at all during the week—chips, soda, topped off by hot-fudge sundaes. My kids looked forward to that every week for years.”

    Making It Special
    Seat of Honor
    Some families have a special plate that a person gets to use to celebrate a major triumph or their birthday. Sue Eaves has something different, a way to dress up the chair itself when someone is celebrated. She saw a blog post about making a simple fabric slipcover for a chair and embellishing it, so she added the words “My Special Day” to the slipcover she made. It gets used on big days like birthdays, but also, Sue says, “It’s a great way to recognize the smaller things that often go unnoticed, like the first day our son put his head under the water in swimming class, and the day my husband signed a contract for a new job. It has become very important to us. Everybody asks if they can have it when they feel that something significant is going on.”
    Spotlight Dinners
    Sydney Gines has these surprise dinners once or twice a year for each of her four kids. Some dinners celebrate an accomplishment such as “learning a complicated piano piece or breaking a bad habit,” whereas others are scheduled for “a self-esteem boost.” Sydney pretends company is coming, so the kids dress up a bit and expect a special dinner. When the kids come to the table, Sydney and her husband announce that the “special guest” is one of the children and throw confetti at him or her. A small gift is given, and the whole family lauds the spotlighted child.
    Sunday Kids’ Choice
    Teacher Anne Hodge wanted her kids to share the kitchen chores and make Sunday dinners special. She started Kids’ Choice, and though her three children have to take turns cooking and cleaning up on that night, they also take turns making up funny rules for the meal. On Lego Night, the table was decorated with Legos, and then there was Changing Seats Night, and another time they could eat only with spoons.
    Toast Night
    Barb Brock, a professor in Spokane, Washington, decided to make one dinner a week special, so on Thursdays, the family uses fancy dishes even for carryout. Also on that night, each member of the family makes a toast. Making a toast is something kids love, as it seems like such a grown-up gesture. Eating by candlelight once a week is also a treat for kids.
    Soup Nights
    Children’s book author Martha Freeman and her family host Soup Night every Thursday from October through March. Every September, Martha sends out a standing invitation to about sixty people, friends and neighbors, to come any Thursday they want after 5:30 PM, provided they bring bread or wine, or both. Martha makes huge pots of soup and provides paper bowls and spoons,