According to the American College of Pediatricians, children who eat together with family are one-and-a-half times more likely to have an excellent relationship with their mother, twice as likely to have an excellent relationship with their father, and twice as likely to have excellent relationships with siblings.
In our fast-paced world, it’s important to take time, sit down with our family, put the phones away, break bread, and just talk about life. Endless activities, long work hours (often for both parents), phones, tablets, and televisions have been attacking the sanctity of family mealtimes for many years. If we haven’t already, mothers should reclaim what was once a dedicated part of the day. Now, more than ever, as rampant immorality threatens the family unit and technology undermines real-life connections, eating together at the table should be a priority. Family meals don’t have to be extravagant or complicated; what’s on the table is a lot less important than who’s at the table.
With a daily dinner routine, we reserve and protect a special time for our family. It is scientifically proven that children from families who enjoy meals together are less susceptible to the dangers of drugs, alcohol, smoking, teen pregnancy, eating disorders, behavioral problems, depression, and suicide. The dinner table is a sacred place to share values, family history, and stories from our daily lives. Meal after meal, children refine manners, develop vocabulary, and learn the art of human companionship, leading to improved self-esteem, social skills, and life satisfaction.
Balanced, nutritious family meals that include healthy fruits, vegetables, vitamins, and minerals help children live healthier lives. When we sit down and eat together as a family, the pace of our day can slow down, even if ever so slightly. As we tune into one another, there is more time to recognize fullness, reducing the likelihood of overeating. In today’s fast-paced world, family mealtime gives us a chance to slow down, reconnect, and learn more about what’s happening in each other’s lives.
Summary
Families who eat together, grow together. American activist, Laurie David, wrote, “Family dinner is how we civilize our children. It is how we get them into good habits like drinking water with supper, saying please and thank you, learning how to listen and take turns. It’s how we pass on our family histories.”
“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”
—1 Corinthians 10:31 KJV
The Happy Dinner Table: The Path to Healthy & Harmonious Family Meals by Anna Migeon
Transform your dinner table into a place of happy memories instead of a battlefield as you explore delightful ways to reverse picky eating and establish an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker
The Joy of Cooking, selected by The New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important and influential books of the twentieth century—has taught tens of millions of people to cook, helped feed and delight millions beyond that, answered countless food and kitchen questions, and averted many a cooking crisis.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
by Samin Nosrat
Master the use of four elements—Salt, to enhance flavor; Fat, to deliver flavor and generate texture; Acid, to balance flavor; and Heat, to determine the texture of food—and anything you cook will be delicious. Learn to confidently make better decisions in the kitchen and cook delicious meals with any ingredients, anywhere, at any time.
The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time
by Laurie David
Today’s parents have lots to deal with and technology is making their job harder than ever. Research proves that everything we worry about as parents—from drugs to alcohol, promiscuity, to obesity, academic achievement and just good old nutrition—can all be improved by the simple act of eating and talking together around the table.
Tiffany’s Table Manners for Teenagers by Walter Hoving
Here is the perfect little book for anyone—teenage or otherwise—who has ever wanted to master the art of good table manners.
Magnolia Table
by Joanna Gaines
Joanna Gaines believes there’s no better way to celebrate family and friendship than through the art of togetherness, celebrating tradition, and sharing a great meal. Magnolia Table includes 125 classic recipes—from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to small plates, snacks, and desserts—presenting a modern selection of American classics and personal family favorites.
PLEASE NOTE: As an Amazon Associate, Mothers Truly Matter earns from qualifying purchases. The information in this post should not be construed as providing specific psychiatric, psychological, or medical advice, but rather to offer readers information to better understand the lives and health of themselves and their children. It is not intended to provide an alternative to professional treatment or to replace the services of a physician, psychiatrist, or psychotherapist.
