[jjames001]

You people who talk about coming home to dinner on a winter night really know how to make a kid feel depressed. I'm getting off this thread.

[It's me]

???

[It's me]

You wrote:

I could go either way on this...

I find my friends, those who have stay at home mothers, to be more spoiled and from my point of view, less polite.

snip...

My brother and I have turned out to be good teens who know how to live on our own. Most of what we have isn't from our parents love or caring about us, it is because they pray to God. Our loving relatives (especially my wonderful grandmother) pray and pray to Him for the best for us too.

IMHO

So, what's the problem?

[keats5]

Well, jjames001, your post touched me. I've two sons around your age. If you didn't live so far away, I'd invite you over for a good pot roast, with mashed potatoes and gravy and fresh warm bread.

I'm sorry you missed out on some good meals. I think evening meals are so helpful in helping people connect at the end of the day. I guess no one has everything. Some kids have great meals, but never stepped inside the church or heard the gospel. It seems for all their problems, your folks got the most important thing right. All you can do is to try to start a new tradition when you have your own kids. There's a special joy in that, too.

Like I keep telling my kids, we're not in heaven yet.