We know that both parents and kids these days lead very busy
lives, but something every family needs to take time for is family meals. Did
you know teens who ate with their family 5-7 times per week are 4 times less
likely to try tobacco, 2 times less likely to drink alcohol, and 2.5 times less
likely to use marijuana, according to Columbia University when compared to
those who only had family meals 3 or fewer times per week. Pretty big
difference, eh?
Having family meals daily can promote positive behavior in
your children, create a sense of belonging, and provide an easy way to
communicate! When’s a better time to talk to your kids about their day then
around the table? Family meals should be a priority which can promote healthy
childhood development like increasing good decision making when approached with
the ever so common peer pressure and don't forget that according to Professor William Doherty,
“One is better than zero” the more you do it, the better. So try to plan meals
as often as possible.
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| An even better idea is to have your kids cook with you! This will teach them life skills for when they become quality, healthy adults (they will love being able to cook once they taste the cafeteria food in College). |
Better mental health is not the only health benefit to a
family meal time, it can also be linked too:
O
Better nutritional intake
O
Decreased influence for unhealthy weight control
practices like crash dieting, bulimia, and anorexia
O
Less substance abuse risk
O
Less chance of childhood obesity
O
Positive attitudes
O Lasting memories!
How do you make your family meals work? Got any easy recipes
the kids can help create? Comment below!
Follow us on Twitter to help you make more healthy choices
https://twitter.com/preferredfamily
-Maxwell Law
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