Family dinner: BIG impact
Family dinners are one of the best ways to connect as a family, creating special memories, teaching important lessons and benefitting children at all ages of development.
Some benefits of family dinner include:
Teaching babies eating basics
Introducing toddlers to new foods
Showing children your interest in each other's day
Teaching children about meal prep, table setting and working together as a family
Encouraging teenagers to open up about topics important to them
Fostering discussions with teenagers about current events, risky behaviors and their future
Creating special family memories over meals shared together
Babies sitting with their parents during mealtime learn important feeding strategies. In fact, a sign of a baby's readiness to begin eating solids is noticing when they start mimicking your chewing motions while you are eating.
Toddlers love to copy grownups. They put on your shoes, carry your purse and will want to grab for the food you are eating. The best way to introduce new, healthy foods to your toddler is to have a meal together and place items you are eating on their plate.
When you share a meal, asking your children and your partner about how their day was, and sharing your day with them, you create a feeling of caring about one another and a close family bond. You enable your children to have a safe space to express their joys and fears.
Family dinner planning should involve the entire family, from meal planning, to prep, to table setting and clean up. Everyone should have an age appropriate role. This teaches responsibility and again caring for one another.
Encouraging open, non-judgemental conversation with your teenagers over a shared meal creates a safe environment for them to open up to you about their lives, their concerns and their triumphs. It shows that you love and trust them and are there for them.
Silliness is important! Mealtime should be fun, with good healthy food and laughter, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
How to start implementing family dinners:
Start with 1-2 nights/week, maybe Fridays and Sundays when everyone is home
When planning the meal take everyone’s food preferences into account. Try to create a meal with at least one item that each person will eat. Ask your children to help with the planning, maybe picking the vegetable or the shape of the pasta. Remember you are not a short order cook. One family, one meal.
When old enough have your children help with the meal prep. They can cut vegetables, make a salad, place water in a pot, etc…
Have children set the table
When sitting down to eat avoid all devices. Put away cell phones and ipads, turn off the TV. This is the time for you to engage with one another.
Keep the conversation going! Talk about your day, share funny stories, ask the kids to talk about their days, discuss future plans for vacation, upcoming holidays and special events.
Everyone should have a role in clean up after dinner.
On evenings when you can not sit down together as a family unit, one parent or caregiver should try to eat with the children.