10 Ways Eating as a family is good for your children
Sometimes family situations mean that it is hard to eat as a family every day but the more often we can do it the better it is for our children. There are lots of reasons why this is and here I am sharing some with you.
We all want the best for our children and if just eating with them can make a difference then why not? Maybe it will inspire you to ensure once a week you eat as a family if nothing more.
By eating as a family children are more likely to try new foods they see on their parent’s plates. Talk about new foods is higher and this is surely likely to increase the foods a child eats as they grow up.
How to change to eating as a family
Moving a child away from the TV and sitting at a table doesn’t mean you have to have lots of space there are lots of great small ones to save space.
If you are a large family this doesn’t have to put you off, big tables aren’t always expensive and you can all sit together and have that important family time. There are some great value extendable tables I have seen so it’s worth a look.
If everyone eats at the table the children are more likely to eat their vegetables as everyone is doing the same.
You can chat about their day with fewer distractions. Asking your child about their day at school often brings quite a simple answer because they want to get back to watching the TV or playing but when you are all at the table this encourages them to chat and can iron out problems.
Ways it can help you to eat as a family
You can see how much your children eat and they don’t get to hide food or throw away bits they don’t like. If you worry they don’t eat properly it helps to keep an eye.
Your children see you eating which I personally think makes an impact on them learning about healthy diets.
For younger children, you can see how they are progressing regarding holding cutlery etc.
They are more likely to want to cook with you and on their own when older if they can see everyone enjoying food.
They will focus on the amount they are eating rather than other distractions eg. TV.
Do you eat as a family?
Do you eat as a family? Are there any reasons you think it is important? I love eating as a family and sharing our day at the table.
