Sunday Afternoons

Friday evening rolled around none too quickly last week, and fortunately for me in an odd stroke of luck, my husband did not have to work. As he worked feverishly on a pot roast dinner, he allowed me to retreat to the bedroom to relax. I decided it was the perfect evening to watch a couple episodes of 18 Kids and Counting that I had set the dvr to capture. As usual, I am mesmerized by the family’s joyful attitude and their organized lifestyle. I reflected on the chaos that surrounds my small family of two children. How can this mother of 18 children maintain order, while my children run amok yelling like banshees? This inspires me to do a little soul searching (and internet research!).

Right now, we are living what I would call an a-typical life. I work part-time in the middle of the day and my husband manages a restaurant, which makes his schedule unpredictable. We are fortunate that one of us is always home with the children, but I think this opposite schedule also has its downfalls. We don’t get to sit down, the four of us for dinner every night. Also, I miss Family Sundays. I have decided, that although at this point we cannot plan each Sunday to spend the afternoon having family time and sharing a meal, we can plan to have at least one family day each week when my husband is home. It is my hope that the more time we spend together; with the tv off, the better the foundation is laid for communication and nurturing amongst our family. As I compare the values the parents on 18 Kids and Counting portray to their children, I view my commitment to frequent family dinners as the first step towards assuring our values are imparted on our children and creating a new positive atmosphere of calm, organization and consistency.