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 Family
Meal Time Important To Children
We are a
commuting society. The average daily round-trip to and
from work for many parents, leaves little time for family
meals. One side effect of this is that the number of
North American families eating dinner together has
dropped. We may be preparing food for our families, but
overlooking the importance of meal time as family time.
 Children
learn how to behave in a group at meal time. It is a key
time for social interaction. Although sometimes hard to
believe, kids are oriented toward order, especially 7 to 9
year olds. If no meal time traditions are maintained,
they may get the impression that daily domestic life
doesn’t matter and that the adult world doesn’t include
them. Their peer group becomes their whole social life.
Messiness
should never cause a toddler to eat in solitude. If the
tiny terror decorates your carpet with her dinner, give
her some finger foods and put a large plastic garbage bag
under her chair. She wants to be there with you.
We often
have unrealistic expectations about kids’ meal time
behavior. If your preschooler has been in daycare all
day, he is naturally going to want your attention at
dinner time. He may be tired and not overly hungry by the
time you get to the table, if he had a snack on the way
home.
 Rather
than pressuring or cajoling him into eating his dinner,
relax. Let him be responsible for whether he eats and how
much. Chances are he ate well at breakfast and lunch and
had some decent snacks along the way. Let him know how
you enjoy his company at dinner and then enjoy your
dinner. If he eats nothing – that’s his choice. Snack
time before bed is the next opportunity to eat.
Simple
meals are another solution to the hectic dinner time
scenario. Whether you have looked after busy children and
chauffeured them to school, lessons and practices all day,
or worked outside the home, by 5 p.m. you’re beat.
 Some
convenience foods may be worth the extra dollars in terms
of your time and energy. Prepared or frozen veggies,
ready-to-bake pizza or meat patties are examples.
These will
help get the pleasure back into weekday dinners. After
all, what better time to chuckle at your six-year-old’s
latest corny joke or hear your toddler’s newest word –
over and over again?
Mealtimes
are opportunities for being together, having good food,
listening and laughing. That is what it is all about.
 
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