It’s Sunday. Tomorrow my kids don’t have school. At the moment, I am in a texting battle with my fifteen-year-old son, The Grazer.
The Cook (me): Remember, Sue Sue and Pop Pop are coming for Sunday dinner tonight.
The Grazer: I won’t be home.
The Cook: Yes, you will be. What time should I pick u up? U can go back later.
The Grazer: No we don’t have school tomorrow. No.
The Cook: You are coming home for dinner. Dad will pick u up at 5:30. You can go back later.
The Grazer: No mom. I don’t have school tomorrow.
The Cook: Why are you being so difficult? You can come home for a quick dinner and then do whatever tonight.
Babies are easy and there are so many How-To Books when you’re not sure what to do. But teenagers—different story! They push and push until sometimes you capitulate in sheer exhaustion. It’s called the Bug-Mom-Until-She-Breaks Method. My son thinks I am ruling with an iron fist concerning Sunday Dinner attendance. I’ve been called a communist (his exact word choice). Apparently, I am a mother who will not listen to reasonable pleas of her children, who does not understand the emotional (I must hang with my buddies) and culinary (Chipotle) needs of her offspring.
Horrors!
But my hunch is that these teenagers want us to hold the line. In real life though, it’s hard to do—to be the parent, to be the boss, to know exactly the right thing to do at the right time. My gut is telling me not to sway on Sunday Dinner, but to make it sacred. My hope is that some day years from now I’ll sit at my son’s Sunday Dinner table because that’s what he carried with him from his childhood—Sunday meals together as a family. The only difference is that I’ll be the grandmother.
Let’s Chow! We’re having a zippy Beef Stroganoff and crispy roasted asparagus that even a disgruntled teenager will eat!
Thoughtful Food
Beef Stroganoff (for six)
- 2 pounds beef sirloin, ½ inch thick strips
- 16 ounces fresh mushrooms
- 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup butter
- 1½ cups beef broth
- 1 tbsp steak sauce
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp stone ground mustard
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 ½ sour cream
- 2 packages of egg noodles (12 oz each) – cook noodles ahead of time and have read to serve.
Instructions:
Cook mushrooms, onions, and garlic in butter over medium heat until tender. Remove from pan. Add beef and brown. Stir in 1 cup of broth, the salt, steak sauce, ketchup, and mustard. Heat to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. In a different container, mix ½ cup broth and flour and then add to beef mixture. Add onion/mushroom mixture. Stir rapidly—boil 1 minute. Add sour cream (yum!) and stir. Serve over egg noodles.
Roasted Asparagus
- 2 bunches of asparagus
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Instructions:
Cut off bottom 2 inches (the white part) of the asparagus
Lay asparagus on baking sheet and brush w/olive oil then sprinkle w/salt & pepper. Cook at 375 degrees for approximately 20 minutes until tips are crispy.
Enjoy.
Thought for the week:
Did I do the right thing, making The Grazer attend Sunday dinner?
Keep doing the good–and hard–work that is a big part of parenting. The key is always follow-through. We want to cave. We want them to have their fun too. They’re good kids. BUT. If we say something, they “do” rely on us to keep our word (whether they know it or not). If we keep our word with the mean stuff they know we’ll keep it when it comes to the good stuff and the support stuff too. If they find themselves in a jam, they won’t hesitate to call us because they will know they can rely on us. Our job as parents is to raise our kids to be good, independent, productive members of society. When they go out into the real world, they will be the sought-after employees, the respected employers, and the decisive and empowering leaders. All because they learned about “follow-through” and commitment from us. [Oh, and I love the recipe, too!] Great blog!
Thanks,Lisa! Great advice. Sometimes it’s good to hear another parent say the same thing. Thanks for reading and commenting on the blog. Happy Sunday!
I think you did the right thing! My kids, (30 & 31) remind me that I could have been more consistent. It would have made the ‘rules’ easier to follow.
Thanks for the vote of confidence! Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for following the blog!
Yes, stick to your guns. Its a constant battle. Speaking from experience, the key is not backing off. Once they realize you are not bending , they will come around. You will see the positive results of your good parenting, when they emulate you as they raise their own children.
Thanks Leon! Happy Birthday!
Good job, Heather! Thanks for the seat at your Sunday Dinner table!
Hold your ground. Your kids will appreciate it later.
Thanks for the vote of confidence. And thanks for reading the blog!
Please keep careful notes about what works and doesn’t with a teenage boy. I will have four of them in the all too near future. I am going to need all the help I can get!
You got it!! They are a challenge. I can’t imagine four in one house, but we’ll all be here to help.
Your blog is very special. The fact that your grandchildren and great-grand children will someday have this as a source of stories about your parents and grandparents is precious!
Thank you for your kind endorsement. Also, thank you for subscribing to the blog. It’s great to know people are reading it.
I can tell you from experience that the traditions you are establishing now will be the ones your children will remember fondly and repeat with their own families although those Sunday dinners may be spent at a restaurant instead of your son’s kitchen table. My son may not have turned into the creative cook about whom I had dreamed nor is it his dining room table that we tend to sit around, but he still loves having the family together for a meal and knows how to pick darn good restaurants. The camaraderie is the same no matter where we gather, which, of course, is the important part of family traditions. I wish you much success with your blog.
Thanks Joanne! Yes, Sunday Dinner is special no matter where the location if it’s shared with family. I hope you’ll subscribe to the blog!