Dinner Drama

I’ve long ago given up the idea of family mealtimes with quiet conversation politely paced so that food is thoroughly appreciated…………especially when Daddy is present during a meal.To most people, Sid is a quiet-spoken man. But at home, with us, he is typically loud, playful, rambunctious and things tend to become a little ……………….ummmmmm, chaotic.

At a typical supper, we tell him about our day and he tells us about his day. Though we are always eager to hear about Daddy’s day, which he always tells in an interesting way, he outdid himself last week. Inspired by the ketchup packets lying around the table, he snatched them up, made them stand up and assigned them the names of people he had spoken with that day. Then he acted out the scenario, embellishing only slightly, I am sure.

Once again, food was forgotten and left to get cold on plates while the happy diners giggled and laughed and asked questions.

The real-life situation that Sid acted out for us is actually a sticky situation with people who feel wrongfully wronged and who are not happy with a business assocciate of Sid’s. It occurred to me that my brilliant husband has taken a potentially stressful situation, dealt well with it and then “dramatized” how to deal with difficult people in difficult situations for our kids. And all the while making them laugh.

So I don’t have those graciously eaten suppers where the children display their best manners while Mama and Daddy quietly converse. But if I’m wise, I know that what I DO have is far better than what I had planned.