NEW MAKE UP 2011

by: Annette Dykes
I just returned from a wonderful weekend with a French family. I realized while I was there that their son seemed so happy,
and so well-adjusted, and that the family was very close.

There were a few things I noticed that they did that were different than many of the families I know, and I think these differences
had much to do with the warm connection I felt with that family.

First, they didn't have a TV. Actually ...

they had a TV, but they didn't turn it on even once in 4 days

that I was there,
and the little boy kept himself busy playing with his Bionicles (a Lego toy) and his friends in the neighborhood.

He has an incredible imagination and is very bright!

I asked his Mom what she did when he got bored and she said, "I want him to get bored! That makes him more creative!" How true!!

Secondly,
they cooked every meal and ate together, at the table, with candles ...

At every meal!

The portions were "just right" (I never felt too full) and the taste was exquisite, because we made everything from scratch.

And healthy? Absolutely. We talked together during meals and shared what we were working on.

Somehow, they even found the time to exercise together (or apart).

One Friday, the Mom and I drove their little boy to school, parked the car, and ran home!

Then, so that we could pick him up from school again, we had to run back to the school in the afternoon.

What a great way to get some exercise! Now that's what I call a healthy "lifestyle."

You may think, "Sure, they probably have easy jobs and the Mom doesn't work, that's why she can cook all of their meals," but quite the opposite is true.

The mother is an entrepreneur and the father is involved in a start-up company and is even studying for his Master's degree in the evenings!

They are a busy family, but they make time for one another.

It was a truly beautiful experience, and I just wanted to share it with you in the hopes that you might follow their example.

Try turning off the TV for an entire evening and enjoy a home-cooked meal together.

You'll be surprised at the level of intimacy it can create for you and your family!