Why is it important?
BUSY. A 4 letter word that we often let define our days. Being a working parent can be overwhelming. Sometimes you just want to get home and go straight to bed and that’s okay, but we must remember to not lose sight of spending time with our loved ones.
When families eat together they can create a stronger bond. With busy lives, revolving around work and school it is easy to become disconnected. Family dinner gives time for reconnection to occur. Sharing a juicy steak will not be why parent-child relationships are transformed, but it is a gateway to allowing positive experiences and interpersonal connections to build
The Magical Number 3
Just 3 family meals a week can help create a strong family connection. There is no pressure to cook an extravagant meal for every dinner, but rather it can be simple. For example, setting out a fruit plate around lunchtime and gathering around it can be enough to foster a positive parent-child relationship.
In 2012, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University surveyed 1,003 individuals between the ages of 12 and 17. They were surveyed on the relationships they hold with their parents. It was found that the more time a week a child sat down for a family meal and/or snack, the more likely they were to have a healthy relationship with their parents. Adolescents who eat below 3 family meals a week are at higher risks for substance abuse and obesity, as well as unhealthy relationships with their parents.
3 meals a week is when one can begin to see positive trends in a child’s emotional and nutritional health. It was identified that 5-7 meals a week should be the target. When gathering for 5-7 family meals a week the greatest benefits are seen for teen, adult, and family brain health.
Benefits- The Family Dinner Project
Ages 1-5
- Boosts their vocabulary, allowing them to learn to read much quicker.
- Less likely to be overweight later in life.
- Dinner time ritual creates a positive model for children to then recreate in their adulthood.
Ages 6-12
- Family dinners and high academic performance are strongly linked.
- Higher intake of healthy foods- fruit, vegetables, micronutrients.
- Felling connected to parents and siblings.
Ages 13-18
- Higher academic performance.
- High-Risk behaviors are reduced- smoking, teen pregnancy, substance abuse, and eating disorders.
- Reduced depression and anxiety.
- Boosts self confidence.
- Amazing opportunity to check in with kids.
At Healthy Within, we do not diagnose or medicate our patients but instead, curate individualized treatments for our patients.
Contact us for more information about how we can help you get your mind back to functioning at its calm, confident self.
References
https://drugfree.org/reports/the-importance-of-family-dinners-viii/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cd.155
https://theconversation.com/dinnertime-storytelling-makes-kids-voracious-readers-47318
https://thefamilydinnerproject.org/about-us/benefits-of-family-dinners/
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/make-most-of-family-table
