Supper Saturday, October 7, 2006 Sue Scott: Our daughter Amanda is 13 and she spends most of her time upstairs in her room on the Internet or on her cellphone. She sends us e-mails now and then, you know, short little e-mails, like what she wants for dinner. That sort of thing. So I … I run down to the supermarket to get it. And, we do try to eat together. And she does have a webcam. So, we try to do things together. And, we're all over her MySpace page. And, I read her blog every day. So… GK: When…When were you last in her room? Your daughter’s room? SS: Uh… In her room? You mean, like — inside? GK: Inside, yes. SS: Uh… I… I don't think she’d like that. GK: Well, maybe you should just knock on her door--just ask her if she’d like to come down and have supper with you. SS: You… you mean, like— come down here? GK: Yeah, like down here. SS: Oh, I… I don't think that would be a good idea. GK: Why? SS: Well, I called her on the… on the way home it went right into voicemail. But you know, I guess I could post a message on her chat board. I mean she usually gets back to me within a couple of days. GK: No, Nooooo. Supper. Supper. It's such a good idea. Even if you're carrying on a lot of conversation with your children by other media, supper is a good platform for getting to know each other. It can be tough sometimes … a little rocky, you know, and people have words and so forth … SS: Oh, uh, could you pass the potatoes, please, darling. SS (TEEN): (SNARL) You ruined my life!!! I hate you!!! GK: Okay, okay, but… but… but supper with the family—it’s a tradition that’s worth keeping. (DIAL NUMBER. TWO RINGS. SS (TEEN) VOICE: Yeah, it's me, so leave a message. Whatever. (BEEP) SS: Uh, darling, just thought it'd be lovely if we all could sit down and have supper tonight. You know. In real time? At the table? GK: Supper. In real time! It doesn't have to be fancy. It can be simple. It could be as simple as a… as a lentil loaf. Just macaroni and cheese… with lentils. Supper! You have to be there… in real time. So, come to supper. A message from Americans For Evening Meals.