Table

Parents in 365 days what do you want your family to look like?  I may not know you personally, but if you’re a parent I know this about you.  You love your family and the best for your kids!  You want your children to mature and be happy, experience the right amount of pain and discomfort.  You know the right amount that helps them mature and appreciate you, but not too much that it crushes them.  You want the best for your kids!  
The fact that your kids are yours is not random.  The stork didn’t make a mistake and drop your son or daughter to the wrong house.  It was purposeful, it was right.  
With that in mind parents all want similar things for their kids.  To be happy, to be responsible, to have fun, to succeed in life.  We are their parents, it’s not our responsibility to make all that happen, but it is our privilege to make it possible.  So again in 365 what do you want your family to look like.  
As we enter a new year I want to offer 3 tips that will help you to make all that possible.  
1. Disconnect to connect.      
We are consumed with our wireless devices and media.  In order to really connect as a family we must disconnect from our technology for parts of our day.  If we don’t we run the risk of missing out of what’s right in front of us.  My family and I make this happen every time we sit down to eat super.  We eat super at least 3 times a week, there is no technology allowed at the table even to take the most epic selfie.  We connect with each other over the course of the next few minutes but it starts by putting our devices on silent and into a basket.
2.  Rewind together.  
So before you think we have it all together there are weeks that the nights have literally slipped away from us.  We have eaten bowls of cereal, oatmeal, banana smoothies, leftovers among other things.  The food isn’t the most important part of this process, connecting is.  We take time to discuss our days.  Everyone present answers the following questions, “what made you happy today? What made you sad today? What made you mad today?  
During this time no one can interrupt another person without a consequence like having to stand for the rest of the meal etc.  
3.  Eat a meal together regularly
Every goal worth making is worth achieving.  In order to achieve goals two things have to be present.  Intentionality and Attention.  Without these two factors they aren’t goals you’ve set they are wishes.  Set a goal of how many times you want to connect, and rewind together and do your best to keep it.  Give it attention and inentionality.  Order Chinese food and eat around your table.  
Harvard studies, Oprah, among dozens of other studies have identified eating a meal together on a regular basis as the most important factor for children who were successful.  

http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html