Mealtime Mantra

A very wise King, who had a good deal of children, once wrote:

"It is better to eat a dry crust of bread in peace than to have a feast where there is quarrelling."

Proverbs 17 v 1

Our lovely family mealtimes have recently transformed into a stage where the boys compete to be the funniest, say the rudest words, have the most food, have the ketchup / honey / brown sauce / mayonnaise first, be the loudest, talk the most, make the most mess or generally shout above others. Where we once had almost intelligent conversation at the table, we now have "Fartface" shouted from Jonah and uncontrollable giggles from Toby and Max. Where we once enjoyed learning about everyone's days at school and work, we now just hear the rude jokes they heard in the playground. Where we once listened politely to one another, we now just say the same things over and over:

"Use your knife and fork; don't lick the plate; mind you don't spill your drink; lean over the table; watch your sleeve in the sauce; that's enough ketchup....that's enough ketchup... THAT'S ENOUGH KETCHUP!; stop tapping the table; stop whistling; sit down on your bottom; don't put your hand in the yoghurt pot........ Does anyone else have these mealtime mantras or it is just our family who are growing up in a barn?

This weekend, thanks to some very very generous friends who are having all 3 of our boys, we are going away for a night to celebrate our anniversary. We will be able to have 2 whole meals in peace. Would I rather have a dry crust of bread in peace than a feast surrounded by quarrelling? Absolutely. Hopefully though Jared will take me somewhere where there will be more on the menu than dry crusts of bread.