Please Pass the Self-Esteem
Family dinners satisfy more than just appetites. Gathering together nourishes families emotionally as well.
Family Meal Plan
Make the most of family mealtime using the following tips:
- Focus on fun topics, leaving sensitive discussions for later.
- Don’t stress — take-out meals at the table or dinner at restaurants also count.
- Start your own tradition, such as homemade pizza Fridays.
- Go around the table asking each family member about his or her day.
- Substitute a family breakfast or lunch for dinner during the weekend.
Researchers* recently found regular family dinners help children handle adversity more easily while reinforcing a sense of family togetherness. Children whose families frequently shared meals also had better self-images and higher self-esteem than children in families who didn’t have routine family dinners.
“The structure of nightly family dinners sends an important message to children on many levels,” said Jennifer Hagman, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist and director of the eating disorders program at The Children’s Hospital and associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. “Recurring dinners provide children with an outlet to express their feelings and accomplishments and an opportunity to decompress and just enjoy time spent with their parents. The cumulative effect is that children believe they are special because their parents are making time for them.”
Food for Thought
Your family can plan time together by looking at each person’s commitments at the beginning of the week and then scheduling family dinners that work for everyone. Be sure dinners are without distractions such as the television, telephone or computer. This family-only time fosters conversation and increases your child’s confidence, knowing he has your undivided attention.
“Giving your children all your attention encourages communication,” adds Michele Turek, lead art therapist at the psychiatric department at Children’s. “Not only has dinnertime conversation been found to improve developing language skills in preschoolers, it is also a great way to get a better sense of how your child is doing. Parents and children will benefit from an open forum where any member of the family can talk and the others will listen without judgment. After all, family dinners are about sharing and listening.”
What family meal tradition will you pass on? Try some of the tips offered in “Family Meal Plan.”
More Than Just a Meal
Regular family dinners may help steer adolescent girls away from eating disorders, according to a recent University of Minnesota study. In light of this and similar findings, The Children’s Hospital sees the family dinner as an important tool to help patients with eating disorders.
“Children who participate in family meals tend to eat more healthfully and are less likely to engage in risky behavior, including drinking alcohol, smoking or using marijuana,” said Katherine Reed, art therapist and manager of the Ponzio Creative Arts Therapy Program at Children’s. “Family dinners teach children how to take care of themselves and empower them to make better life choices.”
* Researchers were part of a study conducted at Emory University.
