More and more evidence suggests that making time to eat together as a family is right up there among the best things you can do for your growing kids. Now a study on eating behavior indicates that kids who eat together with a family eat better, even if the family all eats in front of the TV. The study, published this month in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior suggests that the best way to get kids to eat right is to prepare good food and put it in front of them. It appears this is even more true with girls, who ate more poorly than boys when eating alone. Interviews with other experts in an article in the New York Times suggests that families with difficult schedules make the effort to have that family meal, even if it is breakfast. Especially with teenagers, this is sometimes the only chance busy families get a chance to catch up and parents get to follow changes in their kids.
More benefits of eating together as a family
Great Dad Talks is a series of conversations with experts on all aspects of the family adventure. With the perspective that “dads don’t always think like moms,” our mission is to support dad voices and our slightly different approaches to parenting. We’ll try to find solutions to every day challenges like getting kids off the couch and making STEM classes available for both boys and girls. But we’ll also tackle bigger issues when they come. The one main theme will be to support dads in the most important role of their lives that of being a great dad. Connect with us at greatdad.com and watch the video version of these podcasts at YouTube.com/greatdadnews
In this episode, I talk with John David, a PR and crisis management professional and author of the mystery/thriller novel The Bystander, about what he discovered through being a dad. John shares how fatherhood became one of the things he’s most proud of, how he felt an early emotional bond with his kids, and how providing a calm, nonjudgmental sense of safety helped them come to him for support even as adults. We discuss the sacrifices parents make, the importance of embracing unexpected roles like Cub Scouts leadership, and how empty nesting gave John the time to rediscover fiction and write his novel. John also explains the premise of The Bystander and his writing process.
Check out John’s website at byjohndavid.substack.com
Visit these links and embark on the path to becoming the best parent you can be:
– GreatDad.com/coaching
– GreatDad.com/pq
– Gratitude course: bit.ly/3NMLDNC
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