The more often children and teens eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink, or use drugs, according to research by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. Family dinners are also an ideal time to learn what’s going on in your children’s lives.
Reap the benefits of family dinners in your family with these tips from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University.
Start the pattern of family dinners when your children are young.
At the start of each week, identify several nights when the entire family can eat together. Try to stick to the schedule.
Turn off the TV and let your answering machine answer any calls during dinner.
Talk over dinner about what happened in everyone’s day. Make sure everyone gets a chance to speak.
Eat dessert or play a board game after dinner to continue the conversation.
On September 24, families across the nation will celebrate Family Day – A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children™, created by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University to encourage frequent family dinners. Join in with a special family dinner of your own—but remember, there’s no need to wait two weeks to make family dinners a habit. Start today!
For more information about the benefits of family dinners, visit www.casafamilyday.org.
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