In a perfect world, the table would be set and the smell of a well-rounded breakfast would gently wake the kids from their slumber. They’d joyfully rise, say ‘good morning’ to their siblings, and rush into the kitchen to give me a big hug — asking if they could help me with anything.
I’d smile and respond with, “No honey, I appreciate you asking, but you can take a seat with the family to enjoy breakfast before you get ready for school.”
The reality is, mornings are busy here, especially if I get in an early morning swim and don’t return until around 6:30 a.m. At that time, I need to kick things into high gear and start the water for coffee, grab a quick shower and be relatively ready before I have to make sure the kids are up and out the door for school.
I’ll grumble and swear a bit under my breath if dishes from dinner last evening are still sitting unwashed in the sink; adding to my morning To Do list, and priming me for barking at the kids if they cause any commotion while I’m trying to get things cleaned up so I can head to my office.
The Breakfast Tradition
Breakfasts are hard these days. Three different schools, three different start times, four different desires. I struggle to keep things together at the morning table these days, and most days I would rather the kids eat what they want, when they want it – that way I could stand ground in the kitchen and bark commands:
Go brush your teeth!
Leave your sister alone!
Clean your dishes!
Wear what you have on — tomorrow is another day you’ll have to get dressed again!
Grab your bike lock and helmet!
Through the years, one of the things that has been consistent is that we all sit down together for breakfast. I have to admit, that the tradition of everyone at the breakfast table is maintained because of Greg. He has a ‘schedule’ of things we serve the kids — cereal, warmed pancakes or waffles (we make extras on the weekends), and eggs. Occasionally something else will be slipped in there, such as biscuits and smoothies, but for the most part, this has been our breakfast parade for some time now. Yes, it is getting boring, and I’m working on mixing things up a bit for breakfast, but what’s more important to me than what we serve on the table, is the brief moment we take during breakfast to say hello to the family, chat about what’s happening that day, and hear about anything else on the kids’ minds before we’re off on our own daily adventures.
This morning, we were back at the table together – briefly. We didn’t get much more than a grunt from our high schooler, but we did find out what’s happening today at elementary school, and provided a bit of fashion advice to our 7th grader who was wondering what to wear today.
Yes, I know I need to mix things up for breakfast offerings — more energy filled than carb filled — but at least we were all together for a brief moment this morning, connecting with each other before we head off on our own adventures. And, given our schedule for later in the day, this could very well be the only time we are all in the same room together for the rest of the day!
Right now I’m optimistic that Mr. High School will arrive home with more to say than a grunt; that our 7th grader will have totally forgotten about her morning anxiety over what to wear, and our 5th graders will enthusiastically recount their classroom adventures.
Come to think about it, I am living in a perfect world.
