Nobody sees a flower—really—it is so small it takes time—we haven’t time—and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time.
– Georgia O’Keeffe

“Mealtime with preschool children always reminds me of the pleasure of sharing food with others. Children like to discover who likes the same kinds of foods they do. They love to share food with each other as a way to cultivate connections and build friendships,” writes Deb Curtis in Really Seeing Children.

“One year in my preschool class, a number of families were concerned about children sharing the food that was sent from home. We wanted to respect these families’ views, so we began reminding the children that their family didn’t want them to share their food. The children strongly let us know that this message totally countered our continual reminders to share in every other aspect of preschool. The children rebelled and designated a sharing table, inviting anyone who wanted to share their snack to eat at that table. We told the families about the children’s passionate activism and worked together to develop guidelines for sharing food that everyone was happy with.”

In our busy lives, slowing down to notice the joys, comfort, and bonds that grow when sharing food with others are gifts we can learn from children. By fostering these meaningful mealtime experiences, we celebrate the diversity of family traditions and strengthen the connections among children.