Oh the Shame of It All
August 03, 2009
My wonderful 2 ½-year-old granddaughter is wrapping up her year in day care. At the parent-teacher conference, almost everything Miss Carol, her teacher, had to say was positive; but she did have a complaint about Liza’s eating habits.
Liza loves her food, which is gratifying, but she just stuffs as much as possible into her mouth. (Did I mention that they live in New Orleans, and the day care center cooks up delicious meals like fried shrimp, macaroni and cheese, fresh fruit, etc. etc.?) Miss Carol wanted to know if the family ate meals together. Eating alone might explain Liza’s unfortunate manners.
My daughter-in-law had to laugh. Not only does the family enjoy sharing meals, but, she added, “My mother-in-law is The Expert!” That would be me.
My daughter-in-law thought that maybe at school Liza stuffed her mouth as fast as she could because she wanted to be the first kid to get seconds. At home she is not exactly Miss Prim, but her manners are reasonable for someone her age.
The important thing, everyone agreed, is to make mealtime enjoyable for the whole family, even the visiting expert.
Mealtimes Matter Video
from Miriam Weinstein
About Miriam
Miriam Weinstein is an award-winning documentary filmmaker. As a journalist, she has won several awards from the New England Press Association. Her work has appeared in Boston Magazine, the Boston Globe magazine, Hope, and ParentSource. A former staff member for North Shore Weeklies and freelancer for Essex County Newspapers, she writes restaurant reviews and food columns as well as features on a wide variety of subjects. She lives in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with her husband and has two grown children.
The Surprising Power of Family Meals
In her book, The Surprising Power of Family Meals, Miriam Weinstein shows how this basic human institution helps nourish and strengthen our families today. You can buy this book from our friends at Smucker's® Online Store.
