In order to attract and keep your kids at the family table, family mealtimes have to be attractive to them. Pizza every night might be one way, but there are better ways to make mealtimes a good experience.
Involve Children in the Preparation. Children love to be involved. Find age-appropriate ways for them to help with dinner. Breaking up lettuce for a green salad or putting napkins on the table might be good for a toddler. Older children can help with shopping, cooking and setting the table. Finding ways to involve them in the process can help children have ownership in the outcome.
Keep It Simple. Candidly, families trying to implement family meal time tend to go a little overboard in meal preparation. Everyday does not need to have a holiday dinner. Some simple meal ideas can help ease the transition and make it a more enjoyable experience.
Keep the Conversation Light. Family meal time is not the time to engage in serious debates about issues like discipline or money. If the discussions are too heavy, children will rebel at coming and parents will come away with indigestion. Resolve to keep the tone light and conversational and save the heavy stuff for individual discussions or for a family council.
Turn Off The Television. This one was a hard adjustment for me when Julie and I were married. The TV was on all day every day at my home growing up, including mealtimes. But we have resolved from the early days of our marriage to turn off the television during mealtime (and most times). Television will distract some or all family members from the benefits of family mealtime and will minimize the kind of conversation you hope to have. And dad: put away the newspaper, too.
Eat Outside the Box. Take the time to be a little creative with family meals. Plan some variety. Think about ideas like packing some sandwiches in a picnic basket and heading to the park. Stoke up the barbeque for dinner from time to time. Try some ethnic dishes that you may not have experienced before. Try a fondue sometime to experience real family togetherness. But keep a little variety in mind as you plan your family meals.
Conclusion
Family mealtime can become a highlight of the day and a way to build some pleasant family memories. Remember to make it fun. Involve the children in planning and executing the meal. Keep conversations light and distractions to a minimum. And then enjoy spending time together and having this daily check in whenever possible.
