Benefits of Family Meals
Family Eating Dinner Together
We know we should eat together as a family but it is so difficult to find the time. Is it so important? What are the benefits of family meals? Studies have shown that children who regularly interact with their parents around the dinner table have larger vocabularies, make better grades in school and are less likely to experiment with drugs or premarital sex.
Even though it seems our kids are only interested in what their peers have to say child development experts agree that, even during the teen years, the voice kids most want to hear is that of their parents. One of the benefits of family meals are that they are a great way to foster parent/child communication.
One of the reasons eating together does so much to help us talk with our kids is that is uses what psychologist call a peripheral activity. In plain English, this means that buttering a slice of bread or putting dressing on your salad, relieves some of the pressure of talking, making it easier to open up in conversations.
Okay so you can’t manage dinner together as a family seven or even five nights a week but maybe you could do three. Here is more incentive … a study found that one common theme in the lives of National Honor Society Scholars in this country is that most of them grew up in homes where families ate dinner together three or more nights a week.
Here are some tips on helping to make it happen so you can enjoy the benefits of family meals:
Keep it simple – If the most you can manage is sharing take-out or gathering in a booth at a restaurant or fast food place that is okay – the important thing is the time together.
Delay the dinner hour if you need - if you work late, provide healthy snacks to tide the rest of the family over until they get home.
Grill meat, chicken or fish not your kids – Keep family meals stress-free, relaxed and fun. Don’t nag about school grades or chores.
No electronics - no cell phones or hand held video devices at the table. Shut off the TV and don’t answer phones.
Teamwork - Take turns with chores like setting and clearing the table and washing the dishes so the burden doesn’t fall on one person.
Ask open-ended questions - Share your day with your kids then ask open-ended questions to get them talking about theirs.
Practice active listening - know when to talk and when to zip it and let your kids lead the conversation.
Family time anytime - it doesn’t have to be the evening meal you share. Plan a Saturday brunch or Sunday lunch together.
Want a quick easy recipe for your first family meal? See our post =>
Easy Soup Recipes – Spinach Tortellini Soup
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