Families are s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d. Everyone is super duper busy these days, and it seems even more so than when we were growing up! The older kids get, the more activities and meetings they seem to have and our schedules can sometimes feel like they’re busting at the seams. Eating dinner together as a family has become a lost art of sorts, but it’s also something I have fought to maintain over the years. Getting all five of us together for a meal isn’t easy, and I won’t lie and say it happens every single night – but I do strive to get us together at least 5 times a week for meals.
Many studies over the years have confirmed what we as parents innately know – that family time is good for the soul. There is something about “breaking bread” with those you love that forces you to relax for a few minutes, share some laughs, talk about your day and reconnect. In the hectic chaos of our busy lives, that 20-30 minutes at the table can be our solace and the recharge we all need, especially for our children.
According to Parenting.com research shows that “shared meals are tied to many teenage behaviors that parents pray for: reduced rates of substance abuse, eating disorders and depression; and higher grade point averages and self-esteem. For young children, conversation at the table is a bigger vocabulary booster than reading aloud to them. The icing on the cake is that kids who eat regular family dinners grow up to be young adults who eat healthier and have lower rates of obesity.”
We can all agree, it’s a good thing, right? Here are five things I have learned over the years about having regular family dinners:
1. It’s absolutely doable. A typical family dinner takes less than an hour. That includes 30-40 minutes for meal prep, and 20-30 minutes of eating time. Meal prep time can be cut in half by ordering in pizza on your busiest night, throwing a meal in the crock pot one morning, or having simple meals like breakfast for dinner! Remember, it’s not what you’re eating necessarily that makes a meal, but that you’re sitting down and eating it together! Each week sit down and plan your family schedule, and make sure family dinner is part of that schedule whether it’s 5 pm or at 7 pm…you can usually fit it in.
2. A family that meal preps together, stays together. Meal prep time is a great opportunity to interact with the family. Usually while I am cooking, my kids and I will talk and dance in the kitchen. I ask them to help by setting the table, stirring the pot, tasting a sauce or making the salad. I love teaching my kids that making and preparing a meal is a family effort, not just a one-woman show! When they’re all involved in preparing our meal, they become invested in it. This usually means they look forward to sitting down and eating the fruit of their labor!
3. We fill one another’s cups. After a busy day, we all need to reconnect and recharge. Dinner conversation with my family gives us a chance to talk about what happened that day, give encouragement where needed, remind one another what’s going on that week, and there is usually always, always laughter, which is the best medicine for the soul! There is a sense of unity and togetherness that comes from sharing a meal together, and I know my kids feel that. Even on the days where one or two kids aren’t that hungry, they’re tired or not feeling well, I’ve noticed they will still come to the table just to sit and talk with everyone else!
4. Traditions last generations. Traditions become habits that your children will carry with them into their own families one day. I love the comfort that traditions bring, and they don’t have to be big! Family dinners are absolutely a mini-tradition that benefit everyone, and keep a family close and strong. Make it a priority and your children will come to appreciate these traditions too.
5. It’s a learning opportunity. We learn about our family members when we share daily conversations with them. Our children are ever changing and growing with new experiences, interests and developing talents on a weekly basis! Family dinners give us an opportunity to learn about them and validate them. I also love using family dinner time to share jokes, riddles, and to help our kids study for tests by asking them questions. Shared meals also give my husband and I the opportunity to share stories about our own childhoods and memories, so our kids learn about us too!
Dinner time is more than a feeding station. You are nourishing souls as well! If you don’t already have regular sit down meals with your family, I hope you’ll join me by making it a regular tradition in your home this new year!
