5 fun ways to bring your family back to the dining table

Life has become so busy and we are so occupied all the time with work, office routines, school runs, kids extra-curricular activities, etc. that we are sometimes unable to make time for the things that really matter and that bind a family together. We are so busy running around and on the go that most of the time, we don’t even get the chance to actually sit down together as a family and enjoy ‘quality family time’ especially over a meal. Most of the time, meal times are hurried and depending on our routines, we don’t always get the chance to sit at the table and eat together as a complete family. Sometimes, we eat on the go, sometimes we hurry a meal eating inbetween school rounds, extra-curricular activities, etc.

Perhaps it’s time to stop for a minute and think if this is normal or could it be that we are missing out on something valuable and important. According to scientific research, when a family sits together at meal times, it is beneficial for everyone. Not only does it make relationships stronger, it improves communication with each other. Children who have their meals with their family learn good eating habits that continue throughout their life, generally do better at school and are able to make better decisions in life.

Now it’s time to reevaluate and find a way to bring everyone back to the table especially if, most of the time, family members have been eating at different timings and, most definitely not, at the table.

The next five tips will help you get your family back at the table at the same time for some quality family time and bonding:

1.     Eat at home: The first and foremost tip to get the family together at the dining table is to eat at home. Eating out is nice sometimes, but not all the time, because restaurant cuisine is usually not as healthy as a home cooked meal, and there are many distractions which make it hard to converse. Moreover, when we sit together for a meal at home, it helps to reinforce the ritual that we want to continue of eating together as a family.

2.     Let them choose: Allowing every member of the family to take turns in deciding what they would like to eat, makes meal times more fun. Letting them take responsibility will help them become more enthusiastic about meal times together.

3.     Give everyone tasks: Every member of the family can help around the kitchen before mealtime. Someone can lay the table, someone can take the food to the table, someone can load and unload the dishwasher. Getting the children involved in helping out in the kitchen is another way to spend time together before the actual meal time.

4.     Make interesting and engaging conversations: Although it’s important to concentrate on eating, making light conversation at the dining table helps to bolster communication and is a good way to form a sense of belonging amongst the family.

5.     Have different themes: Kids need, and to be honest, actually like structure even though they may communicate otherwise because structure gives them a sense of security and creates excitement amongst them. Creating a theme for meal times will make eating together at the table more exciting. You could have a pasta evening one night, a biryani evening another night, a shish tawook evening on some other evening, and so on and so forth.

What do you think? Does your family sit together at the dinner table at mealtimes?