Week 16: Calm Comes When the Screens Turn Off

April 27–May 3 Dinners 49, 10, 51

This week didn’t win any gold stars for school success. I could feel the stress creeping in. We had some missing assignments piling up, so I made the call: no video games during the week.

I wasn’t sure what kind of pushback I’d get but honestly? It was surprisingly calm. I had set the expectation ahead of time: “When the work is done, you can play. If it’s not, you won’t.” Simple. And when the assignments didn’t get done, I followed through without a lecture, without a power struggle. The house got quieter. No yelling from the game. No racing to finish homework last-minute. Just… calm.

It’s amazing what happens when the noise turns down and the boundaries stay consistent.

🥗 We Managed 3 Family Dinners

This week we sat down together on Sunday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Nothing fancy on the table just the usual, familiar meals. But those dinners mattered more than usual.

My son was heading back to his dad’s on Thursday, and I wanted to soak up the time. To connect without distractions. Just to be together before the handoff.

My daughter stayed home this weekend. She’s struggling with her relationship with her dad. It’s hard to watch because as much as I want to protect her, this is part of her story too. Divorce doesn’t end the need for connection with both parents. It just makes that connection more complicated.

💔 Helping Kids Navigate Their Relationship with the Other Parent

If you're co-parenting and your child is having a hard time with their other parent, you're not alone. Here are a few things experts suggest that might help:

1. Validate their feelings without piling on.

Let your child feel heard. “It sounds like that was really tough.” Avoid criticizing the other parent (as tempting as it can be). You're a safe space, not a sounding board for blame.

2. Encourage (but don’t force) communication.

Sometimes writing a letter, drawing a picture, or even sending a short text can help a child reconnect with a parent after tension. Give options: not pressure.

3. Focus on routines and connection at home.

When one relationship feels shaky, steady routines (like family dinners) offer kids a sense of control and safety. It tells them: “This part of your world is solid.”

4. Get support.

A school counselor, therapist, or co-parenting coach can help your child (and you) make sense of big emotions and find healthy ways to cope.

🍽 Why This Project Still Matters

Even during hard weeks when school is rough, when emotions are high, when the meals are basic sitting down together makes a difference. These 100 dinners aren’t about being perfect. They’re about being present.

Some weeks we hit five dinners. Some weeks we hit three. But every time we show up, we’re building something that lasts longer than a meal: connection, consistency, calm.

Thanks for being here. If you’re walking through a tough season with your kids: co-parenting, big feelings, or just surviving screen time battles, you’re not alone. We’re in this together.

Let’s keep showing up. One dinner at a time.