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• Preparing and sharing meals together allow parents to choose and decide what food the family consumes. It also encourages you to be a role model and be a positive influence in helping children to eat the right food.
• Preparing and serving meals around the same time each day will establish a sense of routine at home that discourages unhealthy snacking in-between meals.
• Assigning a task for each family member and getting everyone involved in preparing meals encourages each member to be responsible in taking care of their task. Some interesting conversations might happen when you are preparing a meal together!
• It allows conversations to take place. Chatting about the day or just being together helps you stay connected with other family members.
• Your children will have a platform to share their opinions and thoughts at the dining table.
• Sharing a meal together allows children to talk about their day and know that their parents are listening to them. It also allows parents to guide their children to handle issues that arise at school in a more appropriate ways.
• Having family meals together discourages alcohol and drug use among teenagers with increased open communication between parents and child.
Source: Benefits of Family Meals
Prepared by: Hong Wei Hee, Developmental Psychologist.