EPISODE · Mar 2, 2026 · 31 MIN
9: Real Talk on Family Dinners: Navigating Mealtime Manners and Restaurant Outings with Kids
from Between the Chaos & Calm: In the Middle of Motherhood · host With Gloria and Jenna
In this episode, we share our honest motherhood reflections on mealtime wins and woes with our children over the years. We talk about the challenges and highlights while sharing in laughter and reprieve as our kids move more into middle childhood. We’re starting to see little wins come through:stronger tolerance for waiting at a restaurantmore confidence ordering independently efficiency around helping to prepare and clean up together at homeand the tangible benefits of the ritual itself—packed with quality time and backed by research as a simple way to build resilience and support healthier physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Don’t under-estimate family meals, whether at home or out and about! Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner that your crew can prioritize, this simple ritual is an incredible opportunity to connect, bond, and build healthy habits. It doesn’t have to happen perfectly every day; every family’s capacity and circumstances look different, so make it make sense for you!Show NotesWe are two moms who met on Instagram years ago and quickly bonded over our love of the Montessori philosophy applied to parenting and over nerdy child development research. We decided to take the leap by taking our chats out of DMs and inviting you to listen along as we chat about all things motherhood.Gloria is a former 1st grade public school teacher turned work-from-home and Montessori homeschooling mom to her 6 and 4.5 year old. She mentors parents on Montessori homeschooling online and has created multiple masterclasses for parents and educators on how to teach children to read at a foundational level. You can find more about her mentorship program by clicking here and more about her masterclasses and other printables she has created for homeschoolers by clicking here. You can find her on Instagram @MontessoriMamaLife.Jenna is a mom of three, communications strategist and child development writer. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a specialization in sociology, she began her career in newsrooms and nonprofits before discovering her true calling in education. She partners with Montessori school teams to strengthen their outreach, refine family communications, and foster deeper connections between parents and educators. You can follow her musings on Instagram @holdingspacemontessori.
What this episode covers
In this episode, we share our honest motherhood reflections on mealtime wins and woes with our children over the years. We talk about the challenges and highlights while sharing in laughter and reprieve as our kids move more into middle childhood. We’re starting to see little wins come through:stronger tolerance for waiting at a restaurantmore confidence ordering independently efficiency around helping to prepare and clean up together at homeand the tangible benefits of the ritual itself—packed with quality time and backed by research as a simple way to build resilience and support healthier physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Don’t under-estimate family meals, whether at home or out and about! Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner that your crew can prioritize, this simple ritual is an incredible opportunity to connect, bond, and build healthy habits. It doesn’t have to happen perfectly every day; every family’s capacity and circumstances look different, so make it make sense for you!Show NotesWe are two moms who met on Instagram years ago and quickly bonded over our love of the Montessori philosophy applied to parenting and over nerdy child development research. We decided to take the leap by taking our chats out of DMs and inviting you to listen along as we chat about all things motherhood.Gloria is a former 1st grade public school teacher turned work-from-home and Montessori homeschooling mom to her 6 and 4.5 year old. She mentors parents on Montessori homeschooling online and has created multiple masterclasses for parents and educators on how to teach children to read at a foundational level. You can find more about her mentorship program by clicking here and more about her masterclasses and other printables she has created for homeschoolers by clicking here. You can find her on Instagram @MontessoriMamaLife.Jenna is a mom of three, communications strategist and child development writer. With a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a specialization in sociology, she began her career in newsrooms and nonprofits before discovering her true calling in education. She partners with Montessori school teams to strengthen their outreach, refine family communications, and foster deeper connections between parents and educators. You can follow her musings on Instagram @holdingspacemontessori.
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9: Real Talk on Family Dinners: Navigating Mealtime Manners and Restaurant Outings with Kids
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