kariskhaos

Managing Monday’s: Highlight – Lowlight

From prayers at night to the dinner table conversation one of my favorite ways to get my kids to express themselves has been the highlight-lowlight game. When they were very little and we would pray together at night sometimes the idea of praying to God was too big and overwhelming. Scott and I simplified this by asking them to say what they were thankful for that happened that day. We would then ask them to share something they did not like about the day. Listening to these “conversations” with God were often the highlight of my day!

As the kids got older we found that family dinners were a way for all of us to stay connected in our busy, sports and activity filled lives. We mandated four family dinners a week, this has now dwindled to three but is a huge part of what keeps our family close. During dinner we would go around the table and share our highlight of the day. If we have company for dinner, which we often do, we include them. It is quite humorous to hear what has been said and how it has changed through the years of grade school, middle school and now high school.

The lowlights were also humorous and usually sarcastic. Every once in a while these would lead to deep conversations and heartfelt opinions. It really did not matter, the tradition to share at the table became as ingratiated as eating together. Friends who come often, would tell us how much they love this part of our meal and if we forget to do it while they are eating with us, they remind us.

Too often in our crazy lives of over scheduled, over busy, over committed, under connected points of human interaction we forget that two simple questions will bring us together. What was a highlight of your day? What was the lowlight? And of course, What is for desert?