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Can't Wait for Dinner

Making Family Mealtime Fun for All

By Amy Dingmann

Who doesn't like eating out? Playing restaurant as a family is a great way to have fun while you eat.

"This works especially well on a night when there are a few different options of leftovers to serve," Stevenson says. "Make up simple menus to let the 'guests' know what their choices are. Half the family can be the servers and cooks while the other half enjoys being the guest. Next time your 'restaurant' is open, make sure the servers and guests switch places."

Dr. Doherty suggests planning a surprise family night. "Prepare clues and hand them to family members before they sit down to the table," he says. "Solve clues to find out what the main course is or what's for dessert."

If the table is stacked high with piles of papers or laundry, it's easy to make excuses and end up eating in front of the television. Prevent the dining room or kitchen table from becoming the family catch-all. Make a game of policing the table. If you spot someone dropping their belongings onto the table, you get out of a chore, can choose dessert or can pick a family activity for after dinner.

Our lives are packed to the max with a million things to do. Even if you can't gather nightly as a family, choose specific dates on your calendar to be family dinner nights and make every effort to stick to it. Turn off all distractions (computer, TV, phones, etc.) and count yourself lucky for the opportunity to share a meal with your family.