Do you have a problem getting your children to the meal table? You are going to love this idea from Courtney . . .
OUR MEALTIME SONG
Some years ago, my friend told me she had come up with a creative way to let her children know it was time to come to the table to eat. When the meal was ready, she would sit down at her piano and play "Turkey in the Straw." One by one, her children would stop what they were doing as they heard it, and by the end of the song, they were all sitting at the table, ready to pray and eat.
I loved the idea, and having a musically creative husband, told him about it and asked if he would create a song. Thus, the Mealtime Song was born. But instead of me singing or playing something on the piano, I would turn on the CD!
On recording day, when my husband pulled the song together, he asked me and each of our children to do a line or two. My dad happened to stop by that day too, so even Grandpa's voice joined in, adding harmony.
My husband sings the main melody of the song while playing honky-tonk style on the piano as well as intertwining a trumpet solo. There's country-sounding banjo strumming in the background, lots of laughter, and happy voices sprinkled throughout as the children and I chime in with our lines.
Mealtime, mealtime, mealtime, mealtime,
Mealtime, mealtime, mealtime, mealtime!
It's time to eat when you hear this silly beat,
So moo-moo-move your feet,
It's time to eat!
Mama: Don't forget to wash your hands!"
Little brother: "Mealtime!"
The baby: "What's that?!"
A crowd cheering in the background: "Yay!"
Big brother: "Time to eat!"
Mama: "Who wants to eat?"
Big sister: "Y'all come and eat now!"
Mama: "Don't forget to wash up!"
Daddy: "Mmm-mmm! Better sit down!"
Mama and Daddy together: "Yummy!"
After a few plays, the results became like a reflex. When the children heard the song, they knew they had three minutes and twenty-three seconds to finish up what they were doing and make their way over to the table to be seated in time.
Over the years, as my little ones grew and became more capable, I gradually assigned them mealtime chores to complete by the song's ending, and so then by the end of the song—which happens to be the fun moo of a cow—the plates, napkins, and silverware are on the table, the baby is buckled into his high chair with his bib on, the drinks are passed out, and everyone is seated and ready to pray.
Through the years, as the next child in line became old enough to help, I would pass down an older sibling's chore to the younger and graduate the older ones to another chore. Twelve years have passed now since the creation of our Mealtime Song, and, if we're home, we still play it three times a day.
Now that we have seven children, the older two don't have any more mealtime preparation chores to graduate to and so it is in the hands of the younger ones, which works out well since the older ones are busier with online college and their small businesses. Still, whoever is home, by the end of The Mealtime Song, there they are ready and sitting down with the rest of us
What a delight it continues to be to press play (now on my cell phone!), hear my "dinner bell" tune and watch it do its work . . . seeing my children come out of the woodwork and piece-by-piece see my table, get prepared, and all the heads pop up, ready for another family meal.
COURTNEY SIRARD
Woodland, California
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P.S. I have put the Mealtime Song and many other of my strategies into an online course that I am creating. I created this course because I am passionate about helping moms fulfill one of their mandates from God—to manage their home and children.
I love helping moms get their homes in order because when they are in order, we and our households can do so much more, whether it be small businesses, hosting small groups, having guests over, Bible studies, or even a home church. I love how having our houses in order enables our homes to be the action center for our own families and then beyond!
The course is called The Mom Acceleration and is a fast track for Christian moms to get their houses in order spiritually and naturally.
If you would like to be notified when the course is released, please email me: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FROM NANCY
I love Courtney’s idea. You may think you couldn’t do it so professionally, but I am sure you could make up a simple song that would suit your family. Why not try?