family dinners

I have read time and again how important it is to have regular family dinners together. Meals where everyone is present and seated together. These meals may not actually be dinner and they may not be every day. But making them a regular part of the family routine is healthy for everyone. There are many reasons why, and you can read them in many sources. But sometimes it is hard to make family meals work. Some good ideas can be to have two or three times a week set aside for family meals, no interruptions. Having a meal together for breakfast can achieve the same goal. Or even when worse comes to worse, eating together out or even in the car on the way to the next event, or at the next event at least stopping for a few minutes to sit together and share a meal, time and conversation is a perfect family bond-building activity.

family meals

In spite of all the flak kids give parents about so many things, including sitting down together for family meals, today I was reassured by a mental health professional that it is very important for families to do this, ideally once a day. It allows time for reconnection, communication, involvement, a feeling of belonging and a chance to model and observe appropriate behaviors. Even though our kids would at times only come to the table begrudgingly, I am glad to hear that this ideal is still endorsed by professionals!