Forty-four percent who rated their diets as fair or poor did not share daily meals with their families. One reason may be that parents make more of an effort to serve a nutritious, balanced meal when they know the family will be together. Studies show that children who eat with their families regularly have fewer dietary problems. School-age children, for example, who eat alone in front of the television have a tendency to fill up on junk food and have higher fat and blood cholesterol levels. Minding their manners.
Mealtime jobs can teach children of all ages about cooperation and responsibility.
A child as young as two can have a job before dinner, such as washing his hands. Making it happen A return to the family dinner table will require renewed priorities and a commitment by all family members. Start with one meal a week. It can be Saturday brunch or a traditional Sunday meal. But make sure it is an event, Salyer said.