Week 15 of 100 Dinners: How One Spaghetti Dinner and a Drive-Thru Meal Held Us Together

Spring is sprinting by, and with it, the rhythm of our family dinners has definitely changed. From April 20–26 week 15 of family dinners, we only managed two dinners together.

Two. That number might not seem like much, but when I reflect on everything else that happened this week, those two meals meant everything.

Life is full. It is bursting, really. Between dentist appointments, driving lessons, school, dance practice, and more, our calendar was packed. And yet, somehow, connection still happened. Just not always in the way you’d expect.

Learning to Drive with a Disability

This week was huge for my son. He’s a high school junior with epilepsy and hemiplegic cerebral palsy caused by an infantile stroke. His right side is weaker, which makes typical tasks, like learning to drive, a challenge. But if you’ve ever met a determined teen, you know that nothing gets in their way when they set their mind to something.

We had to get a prescription from his neurologist to access a specialized driving school run by occupational therapists. These instructors helped him adapt to his body’s needs, including using a left-foot accelerator and a steering knob so he could safely learn with his stronger left side.

Driving to these lessons meant three hours round trip for just one hour of instruction. It’s been a long, often exhausting journey. But it’s also been full of grit, growth, and resilience, from both of us.

This week, he passed his driving test early. His instructor was so impressed with his progress, he said, “Let’s do it now.” He passed. We cried. Well I cried. And we celebrated with Panda Express.

Yes, really.

A Panda Express Victory Meal

We grabbed takeout on our way home from the driving lesson and test and brought it back the hour-and-a-half drive to our little town. His sister was waiting. We all sat down at the table, together and ate orange chicken like it was a five-star meal. To my kids, it kind of was. We don’t have a Panda Express in town, so this treat was a big deal. That meal wasn’t fancy, but it was filled with joy, pride, and the comfort of knowing we’re in this together.

Friday Night Spaghetti and Meatballs

Our second dinner? My son made it himself.

He’s learning to cook: slowly, messily, beautifully, as part of getting ready for college. (Yes, college. Deep breaths, mom.) For Easter, I tucked a simple college cookbook into his basket one designed for students with limited tools and tight budgets.

He and his girlfriend made spaghetti and meatballs. It wasn’t perfect. But it was real. We sat down together. We ate. We cleaned up. We danced in the kitchen. We laughed. It felt like magic. Sometimes, one meal can carry the weight of five. Not because of what was on the plate, but because of what happened around it.

More Than a Meal

This week reminded me of something important I want every mom to know:

It doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.

Family dinners aren’t about Pinterest-worthy tables or gourmet recipes. They’re about connection in the car, in the kitchen, over takeout or toast or frozen pizza. When life gets messy (and it will), connection can still happen. It just might look different than you imagined.

This was dinners 47 and 48 of week 15 of our 100 Family Dinners journey. We’re not always consistent. We’re definitely not perfect. But we are intentional, and that’s what matters.

Want to Start Your Own 100 Dinners?

You don’t have to commit to 100. Start with one. One meal. One moment. One night where you put the phones away, turn on music, and see what happens.

Follow along as we continue our journey, our wins, messes, and all. Follow along and get inspiration for how to create connection in your own family, one dinner at a time.

Follow me on Instagram @GoParentCoaching and TikTok @GoParent, or visit my website to learn more about how I help parents raise connected, resilient, thriving kids even during the busiest seasons of life.