Eating Together ‘Keeps Families Bonded’
By admin • Jan 25th, 2010Mums may find they have a tough time dragging their kids away from The Simpsons to come and sit at the dinner table, but they may wish to persevere and put up with the moaning as there are many benefits to be had by the family which dines together.
Alison Morris, editor of MyDaughter.co.uk, says eating meals together is a healthy way of getting members of the family engaging with one another.
Such time could also prove precious if parents are working and kids are busy keeping up with their hectic social lives as it may be one of the only times all members of the household can sit together.
Additional benefits of family meal times include teaching children good table manners and encouraging them to eat healthily, Ms Morris notes, while it could also be a chance for mums and dads to impart some life knowledge.
"You can gradually pass over to them what you think is important in life. Children are more likely to open up if you are sitting in a nice, relaxed, informal setting, so that you can talk with them rather than at them," she explains.
And if parents are working late, making an evening family meal difficult, Ms Morris suggests sitting down to breakfast together at the weekend instead.
Recent research by SPAM revealed working mums and busy kids mean families eat their evening meal later than ever, with many not even sitting down together anymore.
While a decade ago the average mum served up dinner at 5.46pm, today food is unlikely to be on the table before 6.22pm.
Do you encourage family meal times in your home?