According to the Family Dinner Project, which is a nonprofit organization operating from the offices of Project Zero at Harvard University, there are a number of benefits to having a family mealtime. Research indicates that children and adolescents who are part of regular family mealtimes have:

• Lower rates of substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and depression
• Higher grade-point averages
• Higher self-esteem
• Lower rates of obesity and eating disorders

Other benefits include the dinner conversation, which can be a vocabulary booster that is even more powerful than reading. Telling family stories can increase pride in family heritage, resilience through adversity, and a sense of belonging. Finally, don’t underestimate the simple value of time together. This emotional video shows children’s ideas about mealtime with their parents.

Many families struggle with how to get family mealtimes started, and how to manage conversation with kids of different ages. Check out these resources at the Family Dinner Project for helpful resources on building conversation with your child at mealtimes. For a few other ideas on getting mealtime conversations going, check out here or this website!

Stay tuned for next week’s post on the importance of family mealtimes for children who are on feeding tubes.