Why You Should Have Consistent Family Dinners

All parents conduct their business differently, and certainly no two families are quite the same. However, there are certain ideals that we believe all families should strive for. One of those ideals is the concept of sitting down every night and having dinner as a family. This may sound trivial, but not all families do it—at least not consistently. Here’s why we believe it’s so important.

It Adds Structure to Your Home

Your home isn’t a youth hostel, nor is it a hotel, motel, or inn. It is a family home, and you want your children to treat it as such. The only way to do that is to create rules and schedules that need to be followed, such as showing up to dinner every night. There can always be exceptions, and perhaps it makes more sense for some families to be looser about it. But simply having the structure in place lets your children know that they’re part of a family—and this will do wonders for their confidence and self-esteem growing up.

Opportunity to Communicate

As kids grow older, they get occupied with all kinds of different things. They get moody. They have homework. They have friends. They go out. Having a set dinnertime every night ensures that you’ll at least have a solid half hour to an hour where you’ll get to talk to them and hear about their lives. Having this communication is crucial for both you and them—so make sure they know when dinner time is!