It’s important to stay connected with family. Whether it’s sports or school activities that get in the way, staying in touch with them fosters a stronger bond for the future. There are many ways to maintain strong relationships while engaging in daily activities, one being sharing a meal with them. Sitting and sharing a feast can create a stronger bond between families, as it allows each individual to share the events that have happened in their lives. This also creates a safe space for the future when one might need a more personal conversation, leaving the floor open to talk makes for better relationships.
Family dinners tend to be the glue that holds everyone together, and when something like this isn’t provided, it can add extra stress or family issues. Natalie Heald, junior, eats dinner with her family most nights and can sit and communicate with her family members. “Family dinner helps us check up on each other’s lives and what we have for school and sports,” Heald said. These are common acts teenagers participate in during their day, and it can become difficult to create that scheduled meal when busy.
Sports tend to have a greater impact on dinner schedules as they are time-consuming and tiring. Some families are unable to eat together every day due to these factors. Matayah Austin, sophomore, is rarely able to eat with her family, mainly because of the high demand in sports, school, and work. It has become difficult for her to eat with her family. “Sitting and eating for dinner and spending time with your family is the only time you get with your family when you’re so busy now that we’re in high school…,” Austin said. Schedules seem to have a large part on if families eat together or separately. Some don’t have the time to cook during these busy days. Parents who work a lot don’t always have the time to eat all together, or in some cases, don’t raise their children to fit the traditional lifestyle. Many families prefer the casual dinner nights where everyone goes their separate ways. A statistic shown by the American College of Pediatrics said, “Over the past three decades, family time at the dinner table and family conversation, in general, has declined by more than 30%.” This has become more of an issue as families don’t eat together every day.
It has become normalized to break the family traditions of eating together, which can help or hurt the children in the long run. It can also create a better sense of habit by having that structured time to eat. Another benefit is being able to eat homemade meals, which are naturally healthier and more enjoyable. In addition, the best way to create a strong and healthy bond with loved ones is to continue those rituals that can make for a better future. This can start one night at a time, until it becomes the norm every night.
