Grandchildren Helping with Family Dinner

Give grandchildren, littles, middles and bigs, a job to do when gathering as a family. Grandma Gail has found a great way to get all the children working together as soon as they arrive. She has plates, glassware, and silverware out, ready to go on the table. All are part of the party preparations.

The dining table is a learning lab for children. Gail guides her grandchildren in where the place settings go on the dining table. Her children are all involved, talking and joking with one another as they prepare for the family meal. Learning to work together, cooperating with one another, is a life lesson for all ages. This grandma is a gift to her grandchildren!

Here are a few ideas to get your grandchildren involved in the family meal as soon as they walk in the door.

• Expect all to wash their hands before getting started.
• Because you know the number of family members dining together, have the dishes on the table as a preset guide for the children.
• Prepare specific jobs for each age group. Little kids can fold napkins and place them on the table as well as help with silverware.
• A photo guide or a drawing of where each utensil goes is helpful.
• Older children should handle glassware to avoid broken items and injuries.
• Place cards can be fun for the grandkids to decorate. Use recipe card or cardstock. Have crayons or colored pencils ready to decorate the place cards. Allow the children to determine who gets to sit at each place at the table.
• Ask for a child volunteer to pray for the meal when all are seated around the table.
• Request help from older grandchildren in serving the meal.
• Praise your helpers! Thank them for their assistance.

© 2022 Becky Danielson. All rights reserved.

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A very special thank you to Gail Berger for sharing her thoughts and ideas for connecting with her grandchildren. Carol and I enjoyed our time with Gail!  Information regarding Gail’s ministry, The Blessing House, can be found HERE.

If you haven’t purchased a copy of Faithful Grandparenting: Practical Ideas for Connecting the Generations, click HERE to order.

Photo by Nadia Valko on Unsplash