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The Dinner Bond
Gone are the days when you could hear “Supper-time” singing throughout the neighborhood. Yet, suppertime bonding is as significant as ever for the emotional and physical health of our families.Studies show that more than 50% of U.S. families eat dinner together less than 4 times per week. This statistic is staggering in the face of research that shows children that consistently share suppertime with their family are significantly less likely to use drugs, abuse alcohol, have early sex, or have a weight problem.
Suppertime is a place where parents and children can interact, communicate, learn to socialize and keep in touch with one another. The dining room table is a place where the family is able to create a unique family identity, and where family traditions and memories are created. It becomes a place to demonstrate values and create a sense of togetherness. Dinner time becomes a time where the children can feel a sense of belonging and find comfort and release from their own very real stresses and worries in life. While breaking bread together, parents can feel the pulse of their children’s emotional, intellectual and physical well-being. Parents have this opportunity to affirm their child and walk them through the growing pains that life throws at them.
Emotional bonding and strengthening family identity is only part of the benefit gained from sharing this important time together. A recent Harvard University study showed that families who eat dinner together are twice as likely to have healthier eating habits now. Plus, it is more likely that those habits will continue throughout life. Family mealtimes allow parents to ensure that children are eating balanced meals. Children that have consistent dinners with the family as a whole eat more fruits and vegetables, drink fewer soft drinks, and have diets higher in calcium, iron, fiber and other important vitamins and nutrients. Statistically, children that do not share consistent dinner times with their family are more likely to be overweight than those who do.
Is this a new concept to parents? A study by Tufts University showed that nearly 80% of parents consider eating dinner with their children very important, but less than 50% actually make the effort to accomplish it. Today’s families struggle to balance a real scheduling dilemma. Families are involved in more outside activities than ever before.
The key to accomplishing “The Dinner Time Bond” starts with planning ahead. cM can help you with that. Here’s how:
•Make use of cM’s menu planner tool and plan your meals at the beginning of the week. The cM menu-planning tools facilitate planning ahead and minimize the possibility of your plan becoming derailed.
•Utilize cM’s grocery list to do your shopping all at once. cM’s Grocery List allows you to click on items needed from your planned menu, as well as items you may need from a pantry list to create your very own grocery list. Print it, take it with you and make the “supermarket” chore a breeze. Avoid getting stuck without what you need and opting for the fast food route. Look over the menu and identify the days of the week that you will want to start cooking the meal early in the day: Start the crock-pot with soup or spaghetti sauce; thaw the meat or chicken.
cM offers other hints to ease into your new plan in the hint list section. For instance, include the children in the planning and preparation of the meals. Be flexible with the meal-time schedule; make it work with the family’s activities.
When we sacrifice suppertime for fast food, TV dinners, and micro waved meals eaten separately from one another in every corner of the home, not only do the children suffer, we suffer. We need ways to fulfill our natural instinct to be close with our children. This instinct does not die because we are busy. Make suppertime a priority and watch the difference it makes in your own well-being. You will feel closer to, more plugged-in with, and more loving towards your children. You will come to know the amazing people that you are raising. You will become more in-tune to their welfare: what they need and when they have issues in their lives with which they need guidance. As you connect with your kids again you will feel a renewed sense of peace and satisfaction that you have missed. Don’t miss another opportunity. Start today!
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