tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post2144760822652847603..comments2023-04-05T23:43:31.483+10:00Comments on Bill Jennings from Time & Space: Post-Modern PerspectivesBill Jenningshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03332251689785937113noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-75082813017247303402013-06-05T23:24:36.820+10:002013-06-05T23:24:36.820+10:00Thanks Mel. Yes. They are good at turning the tabl...Thanks Mel. Yes. They are good at turning the tables. Really appreciate your insight. Cheers, BJ.Bill Jenningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03332251689785937113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-33373226351405167362013-06-05T22:04:14.571+10:002013-06-05T22:04:14.571+10:00My dinner table question to my teenage boys (that ...My dinner table question to my teenage boys (that is, when we are all together at the dinner table) is always "What did you learn today?" Often though, it is me who learns something from them eg algebra, maths equations or some insight from their religious class. Interestingly, the table has turned as my boys often ask me the same question - "So Mum, what did you learn today?" Crap, now I've got to think of something every time! How they challenge us hey? Keep up the great work Bill, love your blogs!Melnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-49946613542676995462013-06-05T20:59:22.722+10:002013-06-05T20:59:22.722+10:00Heidi, wow... this topic is getting some passionat...Heidi, wow... this topic is getting some passionate responses. Whilst Sarah MacDonald is getting some strong disagreement from people responding to this post, I think it is good that it is prompting a discussion with descriptions like yours. For the record, the Jennings clan had lamb chops and veggies at the table tonight. Our sixteen year-old was holding court and making us laugh. Thanks for sharing how your family values dinner time. I am really appreciating the insights and the time responders are taking. Love that phrase... 'find out what is happening in his world'. Thanks Heidi. cheers, BJ.Bill Jenningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03332251689785937113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-28368414919923870012013-06-05T13:16:39.635+10:002013-06-05T13:16:39.635+10:00What a lot of rubbish, Sarah's article makes m...What a lot of rubbish, Sarah's article makes my blood boil. As children we always ate dinner as a family at the dining table and I have continued this tradition with my own family. It is so much a part of our lives that no-one even considers eating in front of the television or at the kitchen bench. Sure my teenagers are busy, when my daughter is dancing three of us eat at the table, when my son has football training two of us eat at the table (my husbands goes along to training too), but for the rest of the week we always eat together. It is a great time to draw my 15 year old son from his room and find out what is happening in his world and a time to hear of all the exciting things my year 12 daughter is involved in at school. It is also a time when my husbands gets to find out what is happening in all our busy lives, if it wasn't for family dinners he would never know what is going on. HeidiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-58729987042830136792013-06-05T11:00:26.120+10:002013-06-05T11:00:26.120+10:00Thanks Tiffany for painting such a detailed pictur...Thanks Tiffany for painting such a detailed picture of how you make dinner time work for your family. And kudos to you for cultivating a culture that looks like you are scrambling over each other to be the main chef on a given night. I love that bracketed comment that your oldest brings up topics 'sometimes for effect'... what came through to me is that even though he might be being playful and cheeky at times with bringing up some edgy topics, it affirms that you indeed have created an open line of communication and a safe hub for connecting at the dinner table with your family. I appreciate you sharing how you have made this work. Cheers, BJ. Bill Jenningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03332251689785937113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-24361033395950372282013-06-04T20:02:27.968+10:002013-06-04T20:02:27.968+10:00I can honestly say family dinner is a regular (5-6...I can honestly say family dinner is a regular (5-6 times a week) event in our house. Maybe it's because we just like to cook? Or maybe it's because we limit our kids (both boys, 16 and 10 years old) to about one hour of electronics time (includes internet and tv) per day? I don't feel we're superior to people who don't have family dinners. :) But it's such a fun part of how our house works. We work out ahead of time - usually in a pretty scrambled way over dinner one night - what meals we're having for six nights of the week. Sunday nights what happens, happens. For the other nights: each person (the head chef for that night) gets to choose the meal. We've always expected that our kids eat salad and vegies, and they do. The deal is: if you want seconds of meat and potato/pasta/rice, you eat your veg. Very effective. :) So the kids can choose what they like for their meal as long as its healthy - they might choose the veg (our youngest is very fond of peas, corn and carrots!) and the meat dish, but they have to have salad or veg. We pair up in twos for the cooking schedule. One adult with one child each night. Our two kids fight to much to be cooking at the same time ... so one adult, one child works well. What having this cooking system has meant is that I can honestly say that I have a husband and two growing boys who CAN ALL COOK! :) And do cook on a regular basis. My husband does great stews and meatloaf. Our youngest loves fish and homemade fish fingers and wedges are a specialty of his. My oldest has a great sense of flavor and loves to add all kinds of spices. And me - I like to bake cakes ... but a zucchini bake I make is very popular. Our youngest doesn't like tomato. Our oldest didn't use to like mushrooms but he eats them now. I love the fact that our kids eat vegetables fast and furiously. And I love the fact that on a crazy night when everything falls apart and the planned dinner just doesn't happen, my 16 year old will often say "Do you mind if I cook?", take the meat that was left out, and cook up a delicious dish. Dinner is a great time for conversations for us. Over dinner, our oldest has popped quite a few interesting questions on subjects like sex and anything else he feels like discussing (sometimes for effect) ... this has been interesting from time to time, but it's been fantastic for keeping communication channels open. Usually, whatever arguments there have been over homework (and believe me, with our oldest *not* being a keen student at all, there have been a few! - we are happy with B's and C's but we expect at least that much effort), somehow we can all still sit down to dinner and the atmosphere thaws. Dinner time really is a time of togetherness for us, and it doesn't feel like we have to force it. It's just us. I don't have an account but my name's TiffanyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-51671153414708053102013-06-04T18:35:37.598+10:002013-06-04T18:35:37.598+10:00Hi Fintan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I tho...Hi Fintan. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I thought this might evoke some comments that reflect the direct, controversial insights that Sarah MacDonald has outlined about the family meal. What it did for me, is make me think about how our home actually operates. I still hold to the strong sense that time around the table is a really good thing. I like what she says about where other chances for conversations occur. In post-modern, fast family life, I reckon a combination and an awareness of the places and chances we have to connect with our kids is key. Once again, really appreciate that you have put your name alongside your opinion. I agree - the family meal time is not passe. Cheers, BJ. Bill Jenningshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03332251689785937113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1622966407873446803.post-38338313671953794972013-06-04T17:21:18.949+10:002013-06-04T17:21:18.949+10:00I feel sorry for Sarah.
Don't write an articl...I feel sorry for Sarah.<br /><br />Don't write an article that makes assumptions about the rest of society. The article reeks of someone who may be a touch envious and is trying to make excuses for the lack of family time in her life. Just because it doesn't work in Sarah's home it doesn't make it passe. Fintan Mageenoreply@blogger.com