Week 10: Burgers, Board Meetings & Broadway—Finding Connection in the Chaos

Spring break at home. No big trips, no elaborate plans—just me and the kids, settling into a slower rhythm after weeks of movement, time with their dad, and the usual whirlwind of life. We stayed home, kept things simple, and yet, managed to have five dinners together. Dinners 29-33.

Sunday: Burgers, Teenagers & Stepping Into New Roles

Sunday was loud, messy, and exactly what I wanted. I made hamburgers for six teenagers, and we packed the table with kids, conversation, and laughter. I love that my kids want to be here, that they bring their friends over, and that our home is a place they feel safe. Because here’s the thing—every kid needs a safe adult. I want to be that for my kids, and maybe, for their friends too. I want them to know that if they ever need someone, I’ll be here.

But let’s take a moment for those burgers.

For 25 years, I wasn’t the one who started the BBQ. I wasn’t the one making the burgers. But Sunday, I turned on the grill, I made the burgers, and I did it without fanfare. No small celebration, no moment of doubt. Just me, stepping into a role I hadn’t played before and proving—mostly to myself—that things don’t have to change in ways that make the kids feel unsteady. Life moves forward, and so do we. They can see that, feel that, and find comfort in it.

Monday-Tuesday: Corned Beef, Lasagna & The Dinner Table Rule

Monday was St. Patrick’s Day, so we had corned beef and cabbage. I’m still trying to elevate our meals, and some days it works, some days it doesn’t. Tuesday was a pre-made lasagna—easy, stress-free, and exactly what the kids needed. Both nights, friends were over, and just like always, I made them sit at the table with us. It’s not optional. We eat together. We talk together. Some days, it’s effortless. Some days, it’s like pulling teeth. But we do it anyway. Because connection isn’t about ease—it’s about consistency.

Wednesday: Butter Candles & Teaching Public Manners

Wednesday was a full day, so we switched things up and went out to eat at a restaurant that has a loaf of bread with a butter candle. Yes, a literal candle made of butter that melts into the bread. It was a moment. The kids tried new things, we laughed, and they felt adventurous in the safest way possible—through food.

Eating out with kids is a different kind of challenge for my family and family's with kids that have neurodivergences. It is a chance to teach them how to navigate public spaces, how to lower their voices (a skill my son is still working on), and how to be aware of the world beyond their own table. It’s not always smooth, but that’s why we practice.

The Rest of the Week: The Nights We Didn’t Have Dinner Together

Thursday was one of those chaotic days—dance practice, board meetings, schedules that didn’t align. We didn’t have dinner together, and while that used to make me feel guilty, I’ve learned to let it go. Life happens. The important thing is that we want to sit down together, that we prioritize it when we can. The weekend carried the same pattern of chaos and we let dinner go for a few nights. 

Sunday: Wicked & Why Experiences > Things

To end the week, we had something special planned. For Christmas, the kids got tickets to see Wicked, and Sunday was the day. We had dinner at a restaurant and then went to the show—something we don’t do often, which made it even more memorable.

Experiences over things. Always.

Because years from now, they won’t remember the toys they unwrapped, but they’ll remember seeing Wicked with me. They’ll remember sitting at a restaurant, learning how to engage in conversation, and feeling like they were part of something. And that’s the point of all of this, isn’t it? The dinners, the routines, the togetherness—it’s all about giving them something to hold onto.

So here’s to Week 10—filled with burgers, butter candles, Broadway, and the quiet reassurance that we’re moving forward, together.