Category Archives: picky eater

Every year I tell myself I will not get stressed out at Christmas, but then all the little obligations and responsibilities start to add up and it becomes harder and harder to feel peaceful and to prepare in the way that I’d like to from a spiritual point of view.

At Montessori school, the kids make an Advent wreath every year, but we always forget to light it during the chaos that is our dinner hour here at Chateau Rama. Last night we finally remembered. As Jonas’ insistence, the lights were dimmed and the first two candles (there are four – one for each week of Advent) were lit. After rummaging around in Jonas’ backpack, I found the lyrics for the Advent song they sing at school and asked Jonas to start us off with the melody.

He declined.

So the P-Dawg and I made up our own tune and sang it together, at the conclusion of which the children jumped to correct our rhythm and intonation.  But they were pleased as punch, and a strange thing happened.

They proceeded to eat their dinners peacefully, by the glow of candlelight.

Nobody complained that anyone was looking/sitting too close to/touching her.

Nobody crammed his peas through his drinking straw or put them in any orifice other than his mouth.

Nobody spun around in or fell off of his seat.

Nobody complained about the food.

Nobody said, “I can’t take it anymore! Why can’t we for once have a normal meal like a normal family?”

Nobody got sent to their room until they stopped crying.

Nobody was denied their dessert.

. . . And peace reigned on earth.

If you celebrate Christmas, I highly recommend making yourself an Advent wreath and lighting it at dinner time. It was a really nice evening around these parts last night, with the kind of vibe I always aim for at Christmastime.

Here are the words to the chorus of the Advent Wreath song:

Candle, candle, burning bright,
Shining in the cold winter night.
Candle, candle burning bright,
Fill our hearts with Christ the Light.