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megram - magazine - Index

Numerous organizations agree
with this assessment. The facts are on
the table: eating dinner together
every night keeps the doors of communication
open. It’s the perfect time
and place to reconnect and to show
your kids that they are your priority.
Sitting across the table is where and
when you can find out more about
your children’s likes, dislikes and daily
life. Having this information can help
you direct your children toward positive
activities and behavior, reducing
the likelihood that they will get
involved with alcohol, tobacco or illegal
drugs.
Yes, we’ve heard it before but, we
wonder, how can we make it happen?
Finding a time to dine together can be
a challenge, and once we do find ourselves
gathered around the table, we
wonder how we can ensure that the
time is rewarding and beneficial to our
children.
Read on for some ideas on making
your family’s mealtime a success.
November 14 - 23, 2008
Find a time
For many families, simply scheduling
a mealtime around school activities,
homework and sports is a challenge.
If you’re like me, you might just
take a look at the calendar, sigh and
give up altogether. But there is no
need to give up entirely on the idea.
Remember, the key is togetherness,
not timing. The Iowa State University
Extension (www.extension.iastate.edu)
has some suggestions.
• Decide when most family members
are available for a meal.
• Explore ways individual schedules
can be adjusted.
• Make the most of every opportunity
instead of worrying about following a
strict timetable.
• Simply eat with your children whenever
possible, even if it isn’t every day.
If the traditional dinner bell finds
your family members scattered, use a
little creativity and schedule a breakfast
or perhaps an outdoor picnic
before the ball game.
Due West Magazine • Page 46 • Fall 2008
Find a place
This, more than time, was my own
family’s biggest challenge. Our traditional
dining space off the kitchen is
just a stone’s throw away from the television,
telephone, and all the other distracting
toys and games of childhood.
So, a few years ago we changed venues.
Traditionally, we had saved our formal
dining room for formal dinners, which
of course never happened. I decided to
(literally) dust off the table, cover it with
an inexpensive but attractive tablecloth
and declare it our space for dinner.
Now dinnertime is seen as an intentional
activity, not just something we throw
together and gobble down before the
next television show. Manners
improved, conversation improved, and
my children, husband and I linger
longer at the table than before. If you
do not have a separate space, at least
consider making changes to your current
spot: turn off the television, unplug
the telephone, and put the books,
papers and laptops in another room.
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