dotdailydose
Family mealtime. Ah, there’s more to food than just physical nourishment during family mealtime. It has always been about bringing people together to eat, strengthening bonds among families. Because whenever families sit down together to eat, the focus is on conversation and sharing, and not just the food being shared and enjoyed together.
Mealtimes with the family, like dinner, give members a chance to reconnect with each other after a long day at school or work. This simple, daily family-food gathering always ensured we caught up on what happened at school or at the office that day and what mood everyone was in. This connectivity is vital to healthy and supportive family relationships.
However, most of today’s families are struggling to find quality time together, with family bonding vanishing, as family mealtimes get lost to busy, techy lifestyle. This means limited time and less human interactions, so family meals are rushed and often outsourced (like by using delivery app), rarely spent together at a dining table. Due to our fast-paced way of living, the opportunity to communicate, relate to and share our daily experience with others at the family dinner table is in danger.
With our increasingly busy and stressful lives, having family dinners together have become even more important.
First, we need to be more mindful about the compromises we make to our family when outsourcing meals and chores. Parents should start cooking/preparing dinner table as often as they can with their kids. It is said that young kids who eat at home with their families are healthier. That’s most likely since home cooking is healthier than restaurant meals. And please, no chew thoughtlessly in front of the glowing screen!
Spend much quality time during mealtimes. Many things can happen spontaneously during a family meal. We share family stories (and secrets). We support one another by offering help for concerns or struggles. We share family values and expectations. We problem solve. Or we just let laughter ensues as conversation and memories flowed freely. Just like the video below:
Also, food that we serve should never be used as a reward or punishment, as this develops a poor relationship with food. Why can’t we eat our favorite food as often as we can? If they love eating chicken, then serve them a chicken cooked with love. And if they love it fried, make it a #CrispyFry!
Family Mealtime? Make sure to make time for it!
#CrispyFry #MealtimeConfessions
###
