Family Dinner At Home Essay

It starts with a healthy meal at home

A friend of mine called out to her child, “Dinner’s ready!” Her young child, thinking she was off again to McDonald’s, immediately got up, ran into the garage and sat in her car seat. You may be laughing, but unfortunately this story is true. Why is having a family dinner at home so difficult these days? For starters, with two parents working there are fewer hands to shop, cook, serve and clean up. In fact, not only are both parents often working, they are commuting further which in turn makes it harder to get home to share a meal. Cameron Stracher states in the Wall Street Journal, “My evening train is packed with men and women shovelling burritos, couscous or pizza into their mouths, while firing off

Emotional health In addition to these health reasons, I believe that family dinners hold the key to family happiness. Times of togetherness build strong emotional bonds. In the 1950s all family members appeared around the table and actually talked with each other. Family dinners used to be like breathing, it happened without question. Our culture has developed the incredible disappearing family dinner. Mealtimes now are characterised by two simple words: speed and isolation. Mealtimes may have changed, but the needs of our children haven’t. Our children have a very active emotional world, and we aren’t always a part of it. What if I told you that little Johnny is getting bullied at the playground. He has a new teacher who thinks Johnny is simply one of those quiet children. She doesn’t realise that Johnny’s personality is changing. He is withdrawing, afraid to participate in class even if he knows the answer. If Johnny goes home and simply passes the potatoes with a plastic smile around the family table, is he really getting any help? No. The family table is a place to be genuine and helpful. Not every problem can be solved but the family table can be a