I love food! Who doesn’t? Eating good food is something I always look forward to. But more than that, I love the moments shared while eating food. All the more, when the company I have while eating is my family. Which is why I find it a bit saddening to hear that less families are spending less time together during meals. Up to this day, my dad always makes it a point to eat together as a family. I think that this is one of the reasons why he and I are so close. During the day, everyone in the household is busy. Parents go to work, the kids go to school. Mornings are generally hectic. At lunch time, we’re never at the same place. It’s only at the end of the day that we all get to be together again, and it’s the best part of my day. So allow me to share with you five reasons why I think eating together as a family is so important.
I’ve heard many stories of people having a hard time bridging the age gap with their parents. When I hear stories like this, I get a little bit sad. It makes me realize how lucky I am that I can easily talk to my parents. I attribute this to the many dinner conversations we’ve had. Having dinner as family has helped make communication between my parents and I, and my siblings and I not only easier, but fun too!
As you talk over dinner, you can learn so many things about your family. For starters, you can learn about their day and how they persevered through some struggles, or lighter topics such as jokes and silly pranks they might have done. I, for one, always loved hearing stories about what it was like for my parents to grow up in the “olden days”. Plus, dinner with your family doesn’t limit itself to just small talk. This is the time where you can be open about anything and in turn, learn so much from one another.
A day filled with tasks to be done, traffic to endure, and the occasional grumpy people you bump into is a pretty rough one. Doesn’t a nice home-cooked meal with the people who unconditionally love you sound great? I definitely think so! Dinner is the time you can leave all your worries behind you, and focus on something other than the day’s problems.
Having dinner everyday is one way to be able to watch over your kids without hovering over them. This is a good time to be able to talk about how school is going, their social life, and more over a casual dinner. I’m sure no one likes hearing the words “I think we should talk”–it instantly fills the air with tension that will undoubtedly leave the kids feeling intimated and scared. Having dinner together provides a friendlier avenue to stay up to date with what’s happening in everyone’s lives.
No matter how long you spend eating together, time spent with family is a great time. Sometimes all you need is the company. It’s also a great way to show your commitment to the family (it may sound a little overly dramatic since it could be “just dinner”, but it’s true). Think about it: Everyone coming home at the same time, to be with each other–doesn’t that just make you smile?