Being Together: Make Dinnertime a Family Priority

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Modern families lead hectic lives. Working parents split their time between the office and home. Kids are always on the run to soccer practice, ballet classes, music lessons, and slumber parties. Sometimes days can go by without the whole family sitting down together to catch up with each other.

But spending time with your children is important if you want to help them in school, learn about their friends and activities, and keep them out of trouble. And research has shown that children who spend more time in the company of adults develop better conversation and decision-making skills. Getting the whole family together at dinnertime can be a great way to interact with your kids and make sure the people you love make time for each other.

It’s important to let the whole family know that sharing the evening meal together is a priority. Gathering everyone around the dinner table at the same time is no easy feat, so each person will need to schedule their other activities accordingly. Your kids should know that dinnertime is not the time to go shopping at the mall or stay upstairs and do homework. Similarly, you may have to adjust the family’s dinner schedule on different days of the week. If your daughter’s violin lesson goes until 7:00 on Tuesdays, then make dinner at 7:30. And if your son has a scout meeting Thursdays at 8:00, then push dinner up to 6 o’clock on that night. With a little compromise and a lot of communication, you can ensure that everyone will sit down together when dinner is served, and you can spend quality time sharing with each other the news about your busy lives!