How to Eat Together as a Family

Dinners are a time for family members to reconnect. Family dinners allow for time to meet physical and emotional needs of children as well as providing a place where children feel loved and valued. With busy schedules it can be difficult to fit this essential time into the day. Follow these tips to make family dinner more consistent and enjoyable.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Menu
• Crock pot

1. Make a menu. Have food on hand to prepare scheduled meals. Planning in advance will save you from going to a restaurant at the last minute because you are not prepared.

2. Set a specific time to eat. Make this a time when dinner hour trumps all other activities. Be flexible when needed to accommodate schedules.

3. Involve children in meal preparation. Recruit them to peel vegetables, make salads and set the table.

4. Make dinner in the crock pot. Come home to dinner prepared, serve it up, eat and run.

5. Turn the television off. Do not allow toys, hand-held video games or other distractions at the dinner table.

6. Make dinner a time to discuss family members achievements, problems or just chatter. Actively listen to children and converse with them.

7. Make a set seating arrangement at the table. Have each child sit in their assigned seat at each meal to avoid bickering over who sits by whom.

Tips & Warnings

• Make Saturday and Sunday priority days for eating together as they generally have the least amount of scheduled activities.
• Try to eat as a family at least four times a week.