A Chance To Connect

If you have children, would you want them to have: higher self-esteem? healthier eating habits? stronger resilience? better grades? a lower risk of substance abuse? a bigger vocabulary? The great news is that research shows the simple step of nightly family dinners are linked to all of the above!

If you find it difficult to gather the entire family at the dinner table, here are a few tips to sit down together 5-6 times a week for breakfast, lunch or dinner:

  • Start with one night. Pick a date and schedule it in your calendar.
  • Prepare meals like stews or casseroles in advance, so they can be quickly defrosted or heated to have table ready in a short time.
  • If dinner doesn’t work out, have a family breakfast or healthy snack.

Meals at home bring people together for a chance to bond, share information and foster feelings of belonging, security and love. So bring food, fun and conversation to the dinner table and leave phones, tablets and games behind.