It seems that in our society we are very busy almost all the time. Beyond this, every member of the family is busy doing different things so that sometimes members of the same family don’t see each other very much! This is especially true as our children become adolescents. In many of the families I work with, different members eat dinner at different times. Sometimes the children eat dinner in front of the television (or parents are watching the news). Even when eating together, there seems to be constant distractions and interruptions. We have lost the meaning and importance of dinner time. Food is the first form of physical and emotional nurturance that we receive. As babies, feeding time relieves hunger but also provides us with a sense of wellbeing, a sense that everything is okay with the world, a sense that we are safe, secure and loved. This is why dinner time should be considered a sacred and special time of the day. Dinner time should be a time when:
- We all come back together as a family.
- We spend time talking with each other and sharing stories about out day.
- We recognize the importance of togetherness by making sure there are no distractions.
- We emotionally nurture each other by listening, providing feedback to each other and laughing together as a family.
A small change like having dinner together can have a big impact in our lives!
Lawrence Ross Ph.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
