There are been many studies completed on the subject and all of the results point to the fact that sitting down for a meal as a family is incredibly good for everyone and that includes both parents and children. Many people do not realise that so much can happen around the family dinner table at any time and parents can learn about what their children are getting up to in school and in their private lives and any ongoing issues can be addressed as well. This is the one time when you can actually interact with your teenagers instead of just receiving a text message from them when you ask them a question.
This is why you want to make family time at the dinner table as enjoyable as possible and if you haven’t done it yet then you need to invest in a quality dinner set to get the meal off to the strongest start possible. Once this is in place then you and your family members can start to enjoy the benefits of eating together for most meals.
- Healthier eating habits – As a parent, you want to lead by example so you will prepare lots of fruit and vegetables for the kids so that they can know and understand the importance of eating such things. Not only will your teenagers be eating the right kind of food but you will be also and this is a win-win situation for everyone. You can discourage fast food from the dinner table as well as high-sugar beverages.
- It’s great for better mental health – Teenagers are going through a lot nowadays and they don’t get any respite because they are constantly finding themselves online and leaving themselves open to peer group pressure. This is why eating together as a family allows children and particularly teenagers to be less stressed out and they get to spend time with people that they actually like.
- It leads to better communication skills – This is especially useful for growing kids because if they are engaging in social interactions with other family members and taking part in discussions then this can only have positive effects on their communication as the years go by. There have been many studies completed on the subject that tell us that children who eat at the dinner table with their family members are much better communicators as a whole.
- Better parental guidance – The dinner table is the one place where teenagers don’t seem to mind bringing up any issues that they are experiencing in school or their social lives. If your child is being bullied at school or online then they are more likely to talk about it around the table with people that they know and trust.
Who would’ve thought that the dinner table was so therapeutic for all members of Australian families? It is reassuring to know that the family that eats together will stay together for a longer time.
