(J. Jasper, motor brakeman, and his family eat dinner in their kitchen in home in company housing project. Koppers. Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Haven’t you ever wished there was ONE single, simple thing that you could do to help your kids be strong and safe?
Most parents worry about how their children will react to alcohol, tobacco and other drugs…. not to mention stressing about grades, higher education and whether or not there’s involvement in some portion of the bullying triangle.
But if there really was one simple action you could take to help your child in ALL of those areas, you’d do it, right? Of course you would.
It turns out there is such a thing. It’s called ‘family dinner.’ It turns out that besides building strong bodies dinner together also builds resilience: the skills that make up our ability to bounce back from tough times. Kids who have those skills tend to make choices that are in their own best interest. In other words, building ‘bounce back’ helps increase the odds that our children will stay drug-free and stay in school.
In addition, according to drugfree.org, young people whose parents teach them about risks related to the use of alcohol and other drugs are up to 50% less likely to use than those who do not!
Ready for more good news? There are actions parents can take to influence their children’s resilience: one of them is having dinner together as a family. When we know what is happening in our kids’ lives parents are better able to provide leadership, support and guidance. A few minutes of quality communication each day is a good start.
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Want more info like this? Be sure to check out our Resources for Parents page. (And of course, always feel free to suggest the ones you’d like me to add!)
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5 Responses to “Mealtime Magic?”
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I agree with this so much. Eating a meal together is such a simple thing, but it always seems to bring our family closer…if just for those 30 minutes or so. Another good thing is to forbid any electronic devices at the table, ’cause we all know what happens when everyone still has their phones or gaming systems. Thanks for the reminder to come together as a family. 🙂
Great article! I believe if parents try and stay ahead of other influences then our children will make better choices. I also love the idea of family dinner. Every home should plan to eat dinner at least three times a week.
Thanks, Lorene. I like being able to remind people that there’s “powerful magic” within reach… and that they’re probably already using it!
It makes me sad that one of the most simple things has been neglected and forgotten. Nourishment. Wholesomeness. Self Care.
Isn’t the first step toward change increased awareness? I’m grateful that such a powerful “tool” can be (re)implemented in very small steps. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Nadia. I appreciate the connection!