The Importance of Family Dinner

6/13/2019

Children that have dinner with their families on average of 5 times per week are half as likely to commit suicide.*

*Utah Department of Health February 2015 Utah Health Status Update

Parents are the most crucial part of their children's lives and have a greater impact on their children's success in life than any other influence. Although you may hear people say there is no manual for parenting, there are some scientifically proven actions parents can take to raise happier and more successful children. One of the most overlooked is having dinner together as a family.

Children who eat dinner with their families are less likely to drink, smoke, do drugs, get pregnant, commit suicide, and develop eating disorders.
Children who enjoy family meals have larger vocabularies, better manners, healthier diets, and higher self-esteem.
The amount of time children spent eating meals at home is the single biggest predictor of better academic achievement and fewer behavioral problems.

*The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More by Bruce Feiler

“When you start to look at the research you realize all the things you worry about as a parent can be improved just by sitting down to regular dinners.” Laurie David, author of The Family Dinner.