Why dads should make family dinners a priority

John Thompson

Print

Studies have found multiple benefits associated with eating family meals

There's no arguing the fact that most fathers and their families are busy. Between work, household chores, homework, sports, extracurricular activities and social obligations, dads, moms and their kids don't have a lot of time to spend together, especially at night during the week.

But experts say fathers should make eating family dinners together a priority, no matter how busy they, their spouses or their children are.

Research has shown that kids who regularly sit down and eat with their families do better in school, have higher self-esteem and are less likely to drink, do drugs, get pregnant or be depressed.

In addition, WebMD reports that families that dine together eat healthier and are less likely to be overweight.

While it seems like a simple piece of parenting advice to tell fathers that they should sit down and eat dinner with their kids more often, making it happen can be a struggle for busy families.

Experts say that dads should start by initially setting a goal to eat together one or two times per week.

Planning healthy meals is important, but parents shouldn't be discouraged if they can't pull together a home-cooked meal. Take-out, frozen meals and going out to eat together are perfectly acceptable, according to The Family Dinner Project.

What is important is setting time aside to be together without TV, phones and other distractions.

Subscribe to the pregnancy newsletter or 4-8 year olds newsletter.

Email this | Print

Login with Facebook

Post a Comment


First Name:
City:
Email Address:
Comments:	Total Words: (400 words*)
	Enter the characters you see in the image. They are case sensitive.

Shopping

Article List

	Yes, you can help your son survive puberty!
	Will your kids become emotionally damaged after a big move?
	Are you a great dad - or just a pushover?
	Tough-but-fair punishments for misbehaving children
	Can children actually become responsible pet owners?
	When can I leave my children home alone?
	Has fatherhood changed in the digital age?
	Understanding the risks and dangers of SIDS
	How do I know if my child has a severe food allergy?
	Did your teenage son recently start dating? Some things to consider
	Help! My children are becoming couch potatoes!
	Don't panic - it's only your child's first cold
	Running errands with the kids - yes, it's possible

All section articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42