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DEL.ICIO.USTeens Spotted at Dinner Table
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Research shows that as kids get older the frequency of time spent at the family dinner table declines. Could it that have something to do with handing over the car keys? With sports and school and the siren call of friends to hang out with..does you teen dine less at home than they used to? Teens and parents find it tough to schedule a family meal together and University of Minnesota researchers who keep an eye on family meal trends found found that nearly 80 percent of seventh-, eighth- and ninth-graders sat down with their parents three or more times a week. But once the kids hit sophomore year in high school, that figure fell to just 62 percent. Looking at the details. Boys tended to eat more often at home. Could it be they’re hungrier than teen girls and looking for a free place to fill up before heading out again? But, turns out there’s more than food and nutrition at stake here. Frequency of family meal time is associated with better grades, better health and better behavior. Kids who dined with their families more often, were less likely to do drugs or smoke or get into other trouble. One thing that made a difference, too. If the meals were considered “good” at home…more kids tended to show up…even if they weren’t in that family! Remember the old show Leave it to Beaver? Eddie Haskel was always showing up at dinner time to find out what Mrs. Cleaver had on the menu that night. What are your rules for family meals?
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