Lunch Bunch

Today was a good day.  I was lucky enough to get some time with the Preschool E lunch bunch!  The seating arrangments were such that Carmen, Garrett, Addison, and Miles shared a table.  Aren't they a nice looking group?

The menu included tator tot hotdish, peas and carrots, pineapple, buttered bread, and milk. A very well-rounded meal with plenty extra on hand for kids with an extra big appetite today. The cooks know that tator tot hotdish is popular among energetic 4 and 5 year olds (and their younger siblings located just down the hall...).

We enjoyed a lively conversation that bounced around topics such as tator tot hotdish (shocking), eyeballs, vegetables (Garrett only likes the long crunchy kind of carrots - not the diced ones that were on his plate), basketball, first names vs last names vs middle names (mostly in that order), how to spell first names, how to pronounce last names, Federated Insurance (and which offices parents work in), snow, knock-knock jokes, and...once again...tator tot hotdish.  It was actually a very civilized lunch. Much more civilized than many lunches I've attended, actually.  With Grandma Bonnie (the room's volunteer grandparent) and two teachers, there was one adult at each table - and the adults were all eating, too.  At Kids Korner the teachers are required to sit with the children during meal time, but as a perk they get free food.  Very cool.  In the grand scheme of things, that's a big deal.  The sad reality is that for some kids this is the only sit-down meal they get with an adult most days. 

I was impressed with the kids' manners -- all of the children sat nicely at their respective tables, carried on reasonably-volumed conversations about mostly appropriate topics, and followed the usual protocol for cleaning up their spots and selves and then finding their cots for rest time.  The room was running like a well-oiled machine.  Kudos to the teachers!  Kids Korner starts these habits early on for that we are very grateful.  I admit that I put the hood up on my jacket as I walked (ran) by Westy's room (the poor boy would have been miserable if I stopped in for a smooch and then left him....), but it was the same scenario.  All 10 of the toddlers were sitting at a table enjoying a peaceful lunch.  It's so adorable. And again, so civilized. Sort of strange to see so many two year olds sitting around a table like that -- just hangin' out, eating lunch. No big whoop.

Why do meals at our house seem so chaotic by comparison?!  And with only 4 of us at the table! Two of whom are over the age of 30!  Ruh roh.  Sounds like I need to visit Kids Korner for lunch more often - and maybe I should bring daddy :)