Making the Case for Family Dinners

The Happy Eater!

Dinnertime has always been one of the happiest parts of my day. Not because I like to eat (I do), but because it is family time. When I was a child, my father worked until 4:30 each afternoon. He arrived home promptly at 4:45, and when he walked in, we all sat down and ate dinner together as a family.  I know that's early, but my parents ate like they were seventy-year-old seniors heading down to the local Morison's for the early-bird discount. Later in the evening, my daddy always went back to the kitchen and had his "midnight snack." I normally joined him at the table for some kind of gooey treat, and we talked and spent even more time together.

When my big girls were little girls, more often than not, we ate together as a family. Now that I'm doing mommy-hood the sequel, I see more than ever the value in those family meals. Life is busy. Moms and Dads both work, and usually, their little ones are in school or daycare. It's life, and it's hectic. Everyone's plate is full and no one has time to just sit and talk. In fact, there are families who spend their whole day without having a meaningful conversation with the other members.

So if folks are so busy, how can I make the case for family suppers? Because it's just that important. You have to make time. No, you may not be able to do it everyday, but when you look back on your week, hopefully more meals were eaten together as a family than alone. Family meals force parents to sit with their kids and listen. Let them tell you about their day. Tell them about yours. In those few minutes of being together, it creates a cohesiveness a lot of families are missing.

It also teaches them good eating habits. They learn that meal time isn't meant to be spent grabbing a sandwich over the sink or eating with one hand while the other types on the computer. They get nutritious, homemade meals instead of a happy meal. They learn table manners by watching you or if they're little like my guy, they realize we sit for meals and not run around the room! They are exposed to real food and see you eating it as well. One of the best ways to get your child to eat is to let them see you enjoy food. They want to be like you. The best part is, for those thirty minutes or so, your child sees that nothing is more important than his family.

My life is pretty crazy. I run an in-home daycare, blog and take care of our home. My husband is just as busy. He's a research scientist and professor. I'm expanding my business and taking on more children. My husband is starting a new phase of research that will keep him even busier than he is.

But pretty much every night, we sit down together and eat. I can hardly wait until my husband walks through the door, because we cook together, and Emrys sees two adults who love each other making his food. He's even learned to sit through an entire meal without screaming to get down. We laugh together and watch our little one's reaction as he is exposed to new flavors, textures and tastes. His eyes light up when he likes a food, and he spits it out when he thinks it's yucky. The best part is, we witness the whole thing. Together.

Hungrily,
AmandaZ
Domesticology

Do you do family dinners?  Leave your thoughts below and be sure to share! Thanks!