Studies show that families who eat dinner together benefit in a variety of ways. Eating together helps families achieve better communication and build stronger relationships, children do better in school and are better adjusted as teens and adults, and the entire family enjoys better nutrition.
A Harvard study, of 65 children over 8 years, found that family dinners were the activity that most fostered healthy child development. Another study by Drs. Bowden and Zeisz found that “the teens who were best adjusted ate a meal with an adult in their family an average of 5.4 days a week, compared to 3.3 days for teens who didn’t show good adjustment.” The well-adjusted teens were “less likely to do drugs or be depressed and were more motivated at school and had better relationships.” Dr. Bowden said, “that mealtimes were a sort of ‘marker’ for other positive family attributes and seemed to play an important role in helping teens cope well with the stresses of adolescence.” Having dinner as a family provides stability and communication that is important for children, even in families where problems exist.
Click here for a Focus on the Family radio program, “The Importance of Family Dinners.”