Parenting: Family Dinner

Bruce Feiler discusses family dinners

Take six minutes out of your day and watch this video clip. As parents we know that family dinner time is important, but as members of busy families in an overly busy world, it is difficult to keep a commitment to eating together as a family everyday.

What I like about this clip is that it not only reminds us what research tells us about family dinner, but it also gives practical suggestions on how to carve out time for conversation - even if we cannot manage an hour-long family meal. 

This clip avoids producing guilt in favor of encouraging change.

Family dinner time not only develops self-regulation in children but it also develops a sense of self-esteem and resilience. When families talk about family history - the good and the bad - children discover who they are. When families talk about daily events - the good and the bad - children learn that we can survive failure and learn from mistakes.

Family dinner is also an important time to share your faith. Certainly having family devotions at this time is important, but also talking about forgiveness when discussing a mistake, talking about how trusting God, talking about how God helps us to make good choices - this also teaches your child that faith is a part of every aspect of our lives.

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Psalm 34:8a