Thursday, August 23, 2018

Parenting 101: The Family Dinner

The most important time of the day varies from person to person.  Some people believe it to be the morning, since it’s the time where they form their mindset for the entire day.  Others, however, believe it’s at night, before sleeping, using the time to wind down and relieve some stress.  For families though, especially those with members who are generally busy doing their own thing throughout the day, there is no time more important than dinner time.

 Fathers work hard to provide for their families.  Mothers do the same.  The kids are busy doing their best at school, enjoying their extra-curricular work, and fiddling with their electronic gadgets (more on that later).  And the time everyone has with each other is dinner.  

Image source: huffpost.com

What makes the dining room so significant is that it is a venue of communication.  Through dinner, dads and moms can touch base with their children.  And children, in turn, can converse in a free-flowing manner and air out anything about their lives that needs guidance.   

Today’s technology-obsessed world has somehow thinned the ties among family members.
Children would rather play games or stream hypnotic videos of other children unboxing and playing with their toys, than talk to their parents.  And this habit has to stop.  




Image source : momtastic.com
Dinner time represents a sanctuary against technology and the outside world, where family members can simply be honest and converse and just ask about each other’s day, and let them know they’re there for them.

Jonah Engler believes in applying a mindful lifestyle to all areas of his life. He is an educator involved in organizations such as Children of Promise Foundation, the United Federation of Teachers, and the Buddhist Center Nalanda Institute. For more on Jonah’s passions and interests, visit this blog.