Everyone Has A Voice

With so many little voices at the dinner table it can become nearly impossible to carry on a conversation with any one of them, much less have a family discussion about our day.

So, we came up with something to give everyone a voice at the table.

We now have a "speaking token".  Actually, it's just a random domino that I found under the couch cushion and was too lazy to put away:)  But it serves its purpose none-the-less.

When we had the "extended colony" last week this token was a LIFE SAVER on more than one occasion.  We used it to take drink orders, which I highly recommend.  The sanity level in the kitchen was much more manageable by passing our speaking token around to ask politely for something one at a time!

Not only does our speaking token give each one of us a chance to talk about what has been going on in our lives, it allows for the much-needed, but sometimes neglected, lesson of listening.

I love to see the kids faces when they are trying to think of just the right things to tell everyone.  Karis was the cutest!  She LOVED being able to express herself and have the floor all to herself.  We encourage responses to what others are saying and it helps us encourage one another.

I never want to lose sight of the fact that each one of my children have a voice.  They each have important things to say.  Whatever they may be going through may not seem like a big deal to me, but that is what has consumed their lives enough for them to bring up when they have their turn with the speaking token.  So, the fact that I love them means that what they ARE going through IS important.

I wish I could carry my speaking token around with me as a reminder that it isn't always about me.  It would be a great visual reminder, wouldn't it? Passing the token, giving up MY voice for just a moment, for SOMEONE ELSE to share their heart and what they are dealing with, ME listening and responding as if what they are really going through IS important?!

Hmmm...just a thought...