When I saw the pics on Facebook of parents queuing from 2am in the morning to get their children’s grade 1 applications in I realised not only how deep our desire is as parents to provide a good education for our children, but also the lengths we’ll go.

Before even Declan was born or named, parents pressed on us the importance of getting him on school waiting lists. Even paying the sometimes heavy administration fees to do so were no guarantee that your child would secure a place at the school of your choice. Of course there are no waiting lists at government schools, so getting a place at a good school in your area can bring one to the brink of panic.

Making decisions about your child’s education are not always easy. And sometimes those choices don’t always work out. But we always do the best we can, sometimes going to great lengths and distances and manifesting reserves of money we never thought possible.

We believe the Enzi chair is one certain way you can support your child’s continuing education at home. Because it is specially designed to properly support both the back and feet at every stage of your child’s development. This support in turn promotes focus and concentration, so vital in the homework years. And there’s something very comforting in the fact that even if he does change schools, the chair remains constant.

On weekend mornings I put down the tools and Eric takes over as head chef. Lately even the boys are joining in. Eric shows them the careful art of cracking open an egg and I don’t seem to care too much if a few don’t make it into the pan!

When everyone shares in the making of the meal, the sharing of the meal follows as a natural outcome.

Not every day is a weekend of course, but we do try eat dinner together each evening during the week; going round the table with what we call the “highs and lows” to give everyone a chance to share the ups and downs of their day.

Regular family meals anchor the family. But what I’ve learnt is that these don’t need to be lavish affairs – they can be quick, conversational, quiet… What’s most important is regular face-to-face contact.

 A family culture of regular shared meals creates a sense of support, encouragement and love that stays with your child for life. And parents benefit from that contact too.

Younger kids pick up vocabulary and how conversation works, while older kids hear how a problem is solved, learn to listen to other people's concerns and respect that people have different tastes.

Most of all, a meal is about sharing – especially in the simple and loving act of passing food around and serving each other.

Miriam Weinstein, author of The Surprising Power of Family Meals, said, “Eating together makes us smarter, stronger and happier.” As Enzi we can only agree: we are all for family meals and bringing everyone to the table – for lots of eye-to-eye, face-to-face and heart-to-heart contact.