High lows

Dinner time is ALWAYS crazy with 4 kids. We appreciate all the studies emphasizing the importance of family meals. We rarely miss a meal together, but sometimes it's so crazy that I don't think anyone connected. One crazy night I said let's go around and tell each other our high of the day and the low. 

To be honest I was hoping to just eat without having to break up the nitpicking. I, of course, was met with some resistance. No one knew what to say.  Some wanted to say was my low was when so and so did this. So we needed to establish rules. This was not a tattling session and it had to directly affect you. Ahhh... Undivided attention... The spotlight ... They caught on to that. That night went as expected ...mediocre. 

BUT the next night they wanted to do it again and the night after that and now it's a month or Sochi in and that can't wait. Even littlest one joins in. "Hilo, Hilo!!!!!" She says. Often her highs or lows include nap or lack of and her potty training attempts for the day, but she loves this time. Especially when she beats me on UNO and gets to share that with the table.

I love when we are in the middle of an activity they yell, " I know what my high/ low is tonight. " sometimes the little guy likes to add mediums or sideways thumbs to his list. Sometimes no one has a high or low and that prompts to ask more about the day. Usually ending with the child editing their first response. Now, the first time we did this it was a fast activity. But now it takes us the whole meal to get around the table.

Did it fix my immediate need to end the nagging, yes! But it did so much more. They are focused on others,  they are learning to look for the highs in their day and mentally store them. It's a great memory for our family.