Finding time to sit down as a family and eat dinner can be hard. There’s countless after school activities to juggle, parents who are working and not always home in time for dinner, homework to get done – life is just full on. But prioritising time to sit down together and share a meal does wonders for everyone. Here’s a bunch of reasons to make the time to do it.

• • Where to learn table etiquette and manners. Most parents cringe at the thought of being out for a meal with children who seem to be getting the attention of everyone, and not for the right reasons. Instilling good manners and table etiquette into your children starts at home. We can’t expect kids to behave well when they’re out if they get away with it at home! Learning how to use a knife and fork properly, sitting up, saying please and thank you – all of these start at home so that when you do head out for a special meal, you know the kids won’t let you down.

• • To share conversation. Spending time together at the end of the day gives everyone a chance to talk about how their day was. In our family, we each have a turn at sharing our favourite part of the day, something that challenged us, or something that we are grateful for. It’s an opportunity to be engaged in conversation without the distraction of homework or work.

• • A way of introducing a variety of foods. Everyone wants to see their kids eating well and trying new things. By sitting at the table and eating the same meal together, you’ve got a better chance of your kids trying new things. They’ll see you eating it so (hopefully) they’ll want it too. Don’t worry, I have kids so completely understand that this isn’t always the case! But perseverance pays off. If they resist the first, second, even third time, just keep trying.

• • Make everyone feel valued. By sharing conversation and allowing each member of the family to have their turn speaking, they’ll feel valued and cared about. Sometimes it’s easy to brush aside kid’s conversation during the day because there’s something you need to do or you don’t have time. By sitting at the table and sharing a meal together, you have the perfect opportunity to make them feel loved and listened to.

• • Device-free time. If you’re sitting at the table for a meal it should go without saying it’s a device-free time. These days, a device in your hand seems to be accepted as an extension of your body. Have you ever found yourself making excuses for what you’re doing on your phone? “I just need to send a quick email.” Guess what, your kids can’t see what you’re doing and probably don’t care, all they see is Mum or Dad being more interested in their phone than in their own kids. Having a time where there are no devices for anyone gives everyone a chance to feel valued and cared about.

• • Safe environment to speak. This might be the one place that your kids are honest about how they’re feeling because they know they have your full attention. Creating a safe place for conversation is so important in a family and using the table as this place makes complete sense. It won’t work for everyone, some people prefer one-on-one time, but it might work for someone and if that’s the case, it’s worth it.

Having dinner together as a family at the table every night is a big ask and may not be possible, but making the time to do it at least a couple of times a week is worth it if you can. Connecting as a family and sharing your thoughts does wonders for the mind and soul.

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