Family Dinners Improves Child Development
When I was a child, I used to hide my green beans under my plate, squished between two napkins. It never occurred to me that my mother would eventually clear the table and find them there. I guess I believed they just magically vanished in the vortex between table and the china. Years later, I found some peas under one of my children’s plate and it made me smile, thinking how the torch of the family dinner tradition has been passed on. And that is a healthy thing; not the lack of greens in the family diet, but rather the family dinner itself.
And research is backing that up.
A family that meets at the dinner table at least four times a week benefits child development, research suggests. Studies have linked lower risk of obesity, substance abuse, eating disorders and greater odds of a child finishing high school to the practice.
It starts with conversation. In a world of distractions, the simple banter within a family teaches children how to articulate thoughts and opinions into conversation. Too often children have their eyes on smart phones and tablets, televisions and computer screens. Engaging children at the table helps expand their vocabulary and opens up an understanding of the world around them through events shared or news discussed.
There are nutritional benefits as well, regardless of what is making it into the magic rabbit hole under the plate. Family dinners usually include more healthy servings of fruits and vegetables, with fewer soft drinks and junk food consumed.
Want to revitalize the family dinner?
– Insist on the absence of electronics at the table
– Try new recipes and encourage opinion about the meal
– Take a full hour at the dinner table
And one last thing, if you find green beans under the plate, go easy on the kid; he’ll come to appreciate the benefits in due time.
Source: Solutionsforlife
Photo source: flickr