As It Should Be

Only an hour ago he asked, "When are we gonna start reading Lord of the Rings again, Dad?" I told him I would like that, but we've got some hurdles to surmount. The kitchen duty chores have been divided up differently, so that it is no longer a group effort. Each night a different child takes on the entire task, solo. Well, the table gets cleared off by all, but that still leaves plenty to do for just one person, especially a grade-schooler. We've had some motivation issues, and that requires some parental intervention and assistance, which takes time and energy...and then when the kitchen is finally cleaned up, it is pretty much bedtime (yes, it can take that long to clean up after 8 people - and tonight's BBQ'd ribs was a wonderfully messy meal to clean).

This was not a perfect evening, but a nice one. After a tremendous meal, which the children devoured, the cleanup took some time and effort. I put the little one to bed, and he seemed ready to sleep without much fuss. Now there is a gathering in the living room, as Mom reads a book, Carry On Mr. Bowditch. It is excellent, historical fiction encompassing history, geography, astronomy and more. Really fascinating.

And it strikes me that we need - I need - more evenings like this one. Family dinner followed by some "down time" and togetherness. Our routine got lost somewhere before Christmas, and we haven't found it since. We've had too much going on, some illness, some unexpected travel, visitors. All of that got into the way of our beloved nightly routine. And we all noticed that.

I like what is happening right now. This is our family, as it should be. Oughta be. Needs to be.

It is getting late. We let the kids stay up a bit longer, as we have enjoyed the night's tone and activities. The book is closed, our prayers have been said, and now, it is bed time. G'night.