Recently independent studies have demonstrated that children love to sit down at the dining table and have a meal with their parents. Additionally, they are encouraged to eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal when they eat a family dinner. Many health care professionals theorize that having dinner together is a crucial piece of the childhood obesity prevention puzzle. But with the furiously paced lives we seem to lead these days, assembling the family all together in the same place at the same time can be a mountainous task. Between work schedules, after-school activities, errands, and the like, it seems family together time is at a premium. Nevertheless with a few ingenious ideas and some planning, meal time can be a treasured and enjoyable family time.
Assign no less than one night per week to have a sit-down meal with your family. Sunday nights are often a good choice for this event because you have more time to enjoy and the weekend tasks have been completed. Next, the parents should think up ways to spruce up the family meal.
Tell a Funny Story About Dogs Night. Suggest the topic a couple of days ahead of time, so everyone will have time to prepare. A couple of game rules: Everyone gets to tell their story uninterrupted. And each person thanks the person who was before him or her.
Make Believe We’re at a Dinner Theater Night. Use our indoor voices, and eat in a sophisticated manner and act polite.
Present Something Good About Broccoli Night. You don’t have to eat it, you just have to look it up and present to the rest of the family something good about it.
Pretend We’re on an Island Where There’s Nothing to Eat but Vegetables Night. Be sure to take requests.
Incorporate your children in the meal planning and preparation. This gives them a strong sense of self and the basis for a life of healthy meal planning and preparation.
Avoid outside interruptions. Make sure the television is off, and make it a rule that all phone calls go to voice mail or the answering machine during the meal. Use this time to visit with one another and appreciate the family’s presence. This is a good time to restore and dig up what events happened this week. Don’t rush through eating, and teach your children how to do the same in the process. Slowly eating is a healthy habit. Don’t jump up and start clearing dishes and putting things away until all are through eating and talking.
Doing your meals this way at least once a week can provide a significant groundwork for healthy diet and healthy living for you and your family.
About the Author
Derrel Allen is a father of five, information technology adviser and professional entertainer. Read more about search engine marketing at his website http://www.omagic.com/magicianindallas.htm
