Columbia University has a research team that has directly linked increasing substance abuse amongst our youth to a lack of family time at the dinner hour. The good old fashion event where the family gathered around the table discussing the issues of the day in addition to consuming a good home cooked meal.
If this is a concern of yours, which isn't it for any mom out there trying to do the that she can for her family? I have a great new place you can go to for information, hints, tips and encouragement!
Let me introduce my great friend, Alice Osborne, mother to 7, step-mom to 5, grandmother and step-grandmother to 14. As a published author and professional presenter, I have no doubt that she will have a great impact upon this most important topic.
I would invite you all to stop by her new fun and very important blog "Making Family Dinner Hour Possible". Please check it out, and if you like refer your family and friends to it. And if you like, please feel free to CONTRIBUTE! She has designed it as a community blog, and this is a great place to share all your experience and thoughts on the matter.
And I know that you ALL have great experience and wonderful thoughts to share, that would be beneficial to so many people!
7 comments:
I totally agree about the dinner hour. At times life has gotten a bit crazy and we haven't done well with it, and I find everyone starts getting cranky--especially my husband. As soon as we got back to having a calm hour together, everything got better at home. And I LOVE being able to sit and visit with my kids. I am just sad we are down to only having one of them. But then one more will be home in just seven months!! Not that I am counting down the days.:-)
Thanks for highlighting this. I complete agree! Dinner together is so important. Some of my favorite memories growing up are from the dinner table. We learned so much there.
You are very right Dinnertime at the table is very important. I love the fact of conversation around the dinner table. Great studies that you pointed out.
that is the one thing I've been determined to do as the kids get older, eat together and TALK. We had big Sunday dinners too when I was a kid which is still a great memory for me.
Somehow dinner isn't the same with out a daddy at the head of the table. I keep trying though.
I have read the studies too.
I always feel so guilty when something comes up so that we don't all eat dinner at the same time... but it seems like "something" happens more and more. And my kids aren't even old enough to have their own things to do!
Those studies do make me sad, I'm hoping to really work on this as my girls get older.
Dinner time is my favorite time of the day...when everyone is served, we go around the table and everyone is asked the same two questions:
1) What was the best part of your day?
2) what did you do for someone else? (fyi, my kids were amazed to hear Pres. Monson's talk refer to the same question!)
It really is essential to a happy family.
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