It begins...at the table

About a year ago, I was out to dinner with my husband and daughter. A family with 3 young children (probably between the ages of 2 and 6) entered the restaurant and were seated a couple table from us.  Before drink orders were even taken, the mother took out a tote bag and removed three electronic devices with headphones, which she handed to each of her children (yes, even to the 2 year old!). Once the children were plugged in, the husband and wife sat, talking quietly with each other. I kept watching their table, thinking when the waitress comes to take orders, they'll have the kids put their devices down. And then, when the food comes, they'll put them away. But, to my surprise, when the food came, the electronics did not get put away. The 3 kids ate while they continued to play or watch their screens. I was appalled! In fact, I was about ready to march over to that table and let those parents know what they were depriving their kids of, like opportunities to talk, listen, learn manners and strengthen social skills, all while sharing a meal with their family. It's probably a good thing that my husband held me back. But, obviously, that has stayed with me, even a year later, and has made me aware that many parents don't know what they are missing, or what their kids are missing, by not sharing a meal (with both food and conversation) with their children.

 This blog has come about for a few different reasons. The first is out of requirement. In addition to being a wife, mother of 1 (and 1 on the way), and a full-time special education teacher, I am also a graduate student pursuing my Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education. I am currently taking a class entitled Teacher as Child Advocate and Adult Educator. For this class, I was asked to select a topic that I am passionate about and that I feel is important to Early Childhood development and to advocate for this cause in some way. The importance of families eating and sharing dinner (or lunch or breakfast) together immediately came to mind. Sharing a family meal is something my family did when I was growing up almost everyday. Dinner was at 6:30 every night, and it was non-negotiable. Music lessons, dance classes, swim practice, and all of the other activities were scheduled around that dinner time. As my sisters and I got older, my parents understood that some activities would keep us away from home at that dinner time. When possible, meal time was adjusted. Sometimes, we ate without a family member, but we all knew, if we could be home for dinner, that was the expectation.

The idea that families sharing regular meals together reaps many benefits is not new. Just for fun, I Googled "Benefits of Family Dinner" today and thousands of articles popped up, touting everything from better grades to improved self-esteem to teenagers who are less likely to smoke pot, all from sharing dinner with their families at least 3 nights a week. So, if regular family meals is so important and so beneficial, why don't more families make this a common practice?

This brings to my goals for doing this blog:
1. To raise awareness. Many parents know sharing dinner with their families is important, but, as evidenced by my example above, obviously not everyone does.
2. To provide support. Once parents know that regular family dinners are important, I will provide tips, tricks and resources to help overcome obstacles that often interfere with a regular meal time.
3. Create a network. It is my hope that all of you will share your experiences (both triumphs and pitfalls) family-friendly recipes, dinner conversation starters and much more, both on the comment board and on Facebook.

It is my belief that all parents want what is best for their children. Unfortunately, many pressures and expectations pull all of us, and our familes, in many directions everyday. Sitting down everyday to share a meal, if even for 20 minutes, can provide many benefits to a family. Whether you are a "family dinner veteran" or you are trying to add this important tradition to your family's routine, let me show you how...at the table.