The Amazing Benefits of Regular Family Dinners

Family Dinners Give Kids a Leg Up

Provo Daily Herald, Jan 28, 2005

Regular Family Dinners Reduces Teen Addiction

A recent survey by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University titled “The Importance of Regular Family Dinners” shows that the family meal is gaining popularity—from 61 percent of American teens eating an evening meal with their family at least five nights a week, as opposed to 57 percent in 1998. Hurrah for us! The study also found, like so many others, that there is a strong correlation between regular family dinners and reduced risk that a teen will smoke, drink, or use illegal drugs.

The study also reports that children who have regular family dinners are less likely to have sex at young ages, get into physical fights, be suspended from school, or have suicidal tendencies. These desirable behaviors hold true regardless of the child’s gender, or the family’s socioeconomic position.

How Can We Get Together for Regular Family Dinners?

Getting the family together for regular family dinners can be a real challenge, especially when you have a teenager, or several, in the house. There is much to pull us away from regular mealtime like sports practices and games, after-school activities, work schedules, community, church and club meetings, school projects, music and dance lessons, etc. But considering the benefits of regular family dinners, it’s worth the effort to make it happen. For some, regular family dinners are not just a good idea - regular family dinners are a vital means of improving their children’s chances in life. Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York City (and former chairman of the Johns Hopkins University Board of Trustees) has credited his success to his mother who insisted his family enjoy regular family dinners together every evening.

Family schedules can be crazy. But more and more people are making the effort, no matter what, to have regular family dinners together. For some, mealtime is more than just a tradition—it’s a vitally important tool in raising happy, healthy kids. For example, Dr. Benjamin Carson, the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, often works until 8 or 9 at night, but his family waits to eat until he arrives home. Any opportunity to spend time together is worth the inconvenience. Dinnertime makes for a perfect family forum.

Everyone goes in different directions these days, including all the members in a family. But, according to Joyce McCormick, a homemaker in Ruxton, Md., “I read that one of the characteristics common to all Merit scholars is that they sat down to eat with their family... so I’d have our regular family dinners at 8:30 than not eat together. My kids are growing up so fast, they will be gone in a minute.”

Many concur with the statement: “Dinnertime is when my children tell us about their classes in school, what happened at lunchtime, on the playground, etc. If we didn’t have regular family dinners, we may never know. Things that have been upsetting to them may be expressed, and help can be offered.” It may be important to you to fix meals quick, but remember to eat them slow!

Families may do many activities together such as watching TV and movies, playing games, vacationing, etc. but these activities, experts agree, are qualitatively different than regular mealtime because there are usually so many distractions. It’s been reported that some studies have found that parents and children spend as little as 15 minutes a day actually talking to each other. But since everyone has to eat, having regular family dinners together offers a natural time for face-to-face conversation. In an impersonal society we all benefit from regular socializing with those who love us most.

Regular Family Dinners = Better Nutrition

According to Dr. Mary Story of the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota, regular family dinners provide nutritional benefits. Children and teens who eat with their family are likely to eat more vegetables and fruit, drink less soda pop, and consume more calcium, iron and fiber. “And the nutrient profile is better with those who have regular family dinners three or more times a week.”