I have this mental picture in my head of my family sitting around the table together discussing stuff; real, meaningful stuff. I know our family is still yet young and these are the skills we are learning though there are times that our mealtime conversation could be a lot more uplifting. There is a time for silliness, there is a time for joking and laughing but… there is also a time for touching each other’s hearts.
This is my goal for our family mealtime.
I know it is my job to instigate this type of conversation – I have to lead my family, be the role model etc but often by the end of the day my brain is dead and I am not sure if I have one more conversation left in me. There have been times though where we have had great table conversation, often prompted by a fitfully asked question.
- Did you ask a good question today?
- What did you do today that showed (insert character trait the family is studying)
- What are you reading at the moment
- Discuss the current character trait we are studying –
- Review the definition and opposite trait
- Discuss application in the family and for the individual
- Discuss the rewards that are ours when we choose character
- Offer praise for good character seen (in the family, in books, in movies, in other people)
- What could I help you with tomorrow?
- What has God been saying to you?
I have made a prompt chart that sits on our dining room table. This is to help me on those days when silliness abounds and I don’t know how to turn it to edifying conversation. I encourage you to print this out on card, trim it, fold it and have it on your meal table as a reminder.
