Busy schedules can easily lead to individual meal times for families, but eating together has real benefits that are worth the effort.
1. Eating together encourages family togetherness.
Positive family mealtimes help family members maintain relationships and feel a sense of belonging.
When children can count on regular time with their parents, they feel loved, safe and secure. Children set roots for a lifetime as they experience their family’s values and traditions.
2. Eating together fosters happy, well-adjusted kids.
Children can feel accepted by their family and may not need to seek approval from the wrong crowd. Adolescents are less likely to be depressed and generally have better self-esteem.
3. Eating together helps children do better in school.
Listening to grownups at the table exposes children to new words, which helps them read better. Table talk gives youth a safe place to express their ideas. They gain confidence to speak up in class. Parents are more likely to know about deadlines for homework, upcoming test days and ways they can be involved in their children’s lives.
4. Eating together provides better nutrition
Family meals provide nutrients that kids need to grow strong and healthy, such as calcium, fiber and iron.
Foods at home are more likely to include nutrient-rich foods. They are less likely to have too much fat and sugar. Cooking together teaches children and teens how to plan meals and prepare food and how to clean up.
5. Eating together helps prevent weight problems
Children and teens are less likely to be overweight since they learn to eat healthful meals. Teens make better food choices than when they are eating away from home. They are also less likely to have eating disorders like anorexia or bulimia.
Read also: 8 Moral Values Every Child Must Learn
6. Eating together saves time and money
By cooking extra food for another meal, leftovers can save time and money. Eating a home-cooked meal can be faster than driving to a restaurant, ordering, eating and driving home.
7. Eating together is enjoyable!
Children like eating with their families! Parents or other family members savour the good times with their children at the table. Laughter at the table makes mealtime fun!
8. Eating together as a family provides time for conversation and each other’s company and love.
Simply being together as a family and chatting about the day can be enough to help you stay connected. By encouraging pleasant and friendly conversation, everyone gets a chance to talk and listen to each other.
Read also: How To Ensure Healthy Work-Life Balance When You Have A Young Family
NOTE: During meals, refrain from using phones, and only use them in an emergency. Focus on each other and your conversation.
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