My 4 year old son and 2 year old niece sat and talked at the kitchen table for almost an hour. They each had a drink and a snack, nothing more. That alone kept these two kids entertained or an HOUR. I wish someone had told me about the power of a kitchen table earlier. It sure beats them sitting in front of the TV!
The day after I cleared the little breakfast nook and set up the table, my son was sitting at the table when I walked into the room. "Mama, we have to tell Mr. Smith about our kitchen. He will LOVE our kitchen table. Can he come over and see it?"
Mr. Smith is our next door neighbor. No that isn't his real name, but you get the point. Mr. Smith has been our neighboor for years and we are, welll, neighborly. We meet outside while gardening, mowing, shovelling, etc... We have never been in his home, nor has he been in ours. But for some reason my son thought this table was big enough news to share with the entire neighborhood.
He isn't the only one who is thrilled. I was exhausted yesterday when I got home from work and wasn't up for making the salmon I had planned. Luckily, my husband was easily convinced that a sandwich and chips would suffice for dinner. As we used our table as a workspace to make the sandwiches I realized how wonderful it was not to have to clear a pile of pans off the counter for such a simple task.
We then sat at the kitchen table and enjoyed our sandwiches. It was cozy and intimate, bright and cheerful. He noted how nice it was to eat at the kitchen table. We often eat at the dining room table, so it wasn't simply eating at a table.
I never understood when people said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. I am beginning to understand.
