The importance of sitting down to family meals

How often do you sit down as a family to eat each week?

It seems sitting down as a family to eat is a tradition that's dying fast!

Over 50 or 60 years ago it was a lot easier, mothers usually stayed at home and fathers finished work in time for a family evening meal. Unfortunately nowadays family time is often taken up by work time and other commitments.
 
Mealtimes are the perfect chance for some bonding time as a family. If parents make the effort to share a meal with their children, their children feel valued.

A research study by AUT suggests family meals also lead to better relationships and better eating habits as well as children with increased self-respect, less chance of depression, obesity, or experimenting with drugs and alcohol later on in life.

Back in the day, something as simple as taking the time to eat together as a family at the dinner table was an important place where children learned some of their social skills.

These days though, it does take organisation and commitment to have regular family meals together, but it seems the benefits are well worth it.

A 2011 report commissioned by the Families Commission showed that students who had family meals had better family relationships, better communication and more parental support for healthy eating.

In these busy times, it’s not always possible to sit down and eat together as a family. However, schedule a few days each week or even breakfast time if you can, to sit down and enjoy a meal with your family.

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