Family Dinner: Good for Kids

If your family is like most these days, it's tough to get everyone under your roof in the same place at the same moment in time. School, work, clubs, sports, friends, volunteering, and errands keep most families in constant motion! When everyone is together, cell phones, television, and other technologies distract us from being present with each other. However, family dinners are very much worth your family's time. Research shows that family meals have great benefits for children and teens. Among those benefits: *The food consumed during family dinners tends to be healthier, including more veggies and fruits than what children and teens consume when they are foraging on their own. Enjoying family dinners regularly also is associated with healthy weights for children and teens, according to WebMD. *Bonds between parents and their children and teen grow stronger during regular family dinners. The regular contact opens doors to knowing more about what is going on with our kids -- the wonderful experiences they are having, as well as the challenging or painful struggles they are facing. *Teens who report better relationships with their parents, in turn, are less likely to use alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco, according to research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Family dinners don't have to be fancy or time-consuming! Remember, everyone will be around, so each family member can contribute in some way by setting the table, clearing it, and cleaning up. Dinner can be as simple as sandwiches with veggies and fruit, or a take-out pizza with some salad and fruit. In the summer and fall, consider sitting outside, or going on a picnic. Finally, ask everyone to turn off phones, television and other distractions so you can all be present and attentive to each other during the dinner hour. Before you know it, your family will be on its way to eating, sharing, listening, laughing, and building stronger relationships and trust together, one meal at a time.

Lea McLees, MS, NCC, LPC, is a workshop facilitator who offers pre-marital, pre-parenting, and parenting workshops, as well as wellness workshops, throughout metro Atlanta.

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