It's a time set aside for Sarah and I to enjoy some herbal tea with treats while we chat about important things.Things like 'How to be Refined'. Refinement is disappearing so quickly in our society. I didn't now how to 'be a lady' until I hit college....what a heap of embarrassing memories I have! I don't want Sarah to hit the same road bumps I did, so I'm trying to be proactive in teaching her etiquette now.
We happen to be using a book called "The New Christian Charm Course". It's curriculum with a weekly lesson on today's social graces for girls. Last week we talked about handling disappointments gracefully instead of responding in anger. Some lessons discuss how to have elegant body language or how to properly take care of your personal hygiene. Some talk about showing charity to others. I've really liked it and so has Sarah. She is always eager to pull that book off the shelf and begin our next discussion. We have fun learning about the topic while we nibble treats and sip either herbal tea or gourmet drinking chocolate. I've enjoyed watching her grow a beautiful personality.
I try to make muffins, sweet breads, and cookies in advance. I'll make a tripled batch of our treat whenever I happen to be in a baking mood. I freeze them in ziploc bags so I can just reach in the freezer and retrieve the treats for tea without spending every Tuesday baking. If I'm in a pinch and haven't baked in a long time, we will just open a store-bought package of cookies.
It's so fun for Sarah and I to dress up with hats and gloves for the party. We put on dresses and jewelry as if we were going out on a special date night. I'm hoping to sew top hats and bow-ties for the boys (they are invited to participate if they choose to use their best behavior during tea time). It would be nice for them to have something special to wear so they could practice being gentlemen. They have been feeling a bit left out since they don't have anything fun to wear to the party. They are always so eager to join the tea party and help serve the food. Of course.
Most importantly, it's a valuable opportunity to listen. Sarah can tell me what is important to her, or tell me about troubles she is experiencing. It's such a great way to connect with her and let her guide the conversation. She can ask questions. It's such a great setting for meaningful conversation while we linger over our tea. She's asked probing questions about everything from the gospel to childbirth. Don't most parents dread discussing sex with their kids? This was the perfect environment for that talk. It's such a warm and welcoming setting for delving into any topic.
The children look forward to Tuesday Tea a lot. Sarah's friends are now asking to come play on Tuesdays so they can join us. It's been so fun to her to have friends over for tea, and they seem to enjoy pretending to be princesses enjoying a treat together. I'm so thankful for my friend Ashley who introduced us to this new tradition!
No comments:
Post a Comment