What Our Dinner Table Taught My Kids

There’s a plaque that has lived on our wall for years now, it’s called Family Rules. It’s simple, a little worn, and full of values we repeated so often they became part of the furniture and part of our family language.

Our dinner table was where it all happened. Three kids, busy days, full plates, and conversations that wandered everywhere from school dramas to big feelings, and above it all was that plaque, quietly watching.

Every now and then I’d say, “What’s rule number one?”

Cue the groans.

“Always be kind,” they’d grumble in unison.

“And rule number two?”

“Encourage each other.”

Sometimes I’d mix it up just to keep them on their toes. “What’s rule number four?” I’d call out, and they’d have to get up, look at the plaque, and begrudgingly read it aloud. It became a bit of a game, one they eventually got very tired of.

My son even got clever at one point. When I asked, “What’s rule number one?” he’d shout out, “Family Rules!” and they’d all crack up, fair play.

As they got older the game faded, but every now and then, usually when the house was loud or emotions were running high, I’d say something I truly believed, "If the one thing you learn from me is always be kind, then I’ve done my job."

At the time it felt small, just words over dinner, repetition, gentle reminders, and I was hoping I was sewing seeds of healthy values, even if it didn’t always feel like they were landing.

Fast forward to today.

Standing at the market, watching Nat with their books, I felt my heart brim. I saw children’s faces light up, I watched parents pause, listen and smile. I saw kindness, patience, encouragement, and empathy woven so naturally into Nat’s work that it stopped me in my tracks.

Those dinner table values were there, loud and clear.

In Nat’s stories, in their approach, in the way they speak to children and honour their feelings, and in the belief that you don’t have to change to belong, you already do.

I sometimes wonder if Nat even realises where it all began.

What started as a silly dinner time game, eye rolls and all, has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined, proof that those small, repeated moments matter, that values spoken often enough, kindly enough, find a way to take root.

Seeing how far Nat has come from those simple dinner conversations fills me with a quiet, overwhelming pride.

Maybe the plaque was just a sign on the wall, but the lessons stayed.

And watching them bloom through Nat’s work, and through Zosimos Curra, is one of the greatest joys of my life.

Stories like Magbean carry those same family rules forward, always be kind, encourage each other, make space for every child to belong, and it turns out the seeds we planted at the dinner table grew into something truly beautiful.

Deb ❤️ | Parent Advocate

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