How to Revive Family Dinners
Have you ever wondered what ever happened to family dinners? Once a staple of American life, family dinners seem to occur less and less frequently. Recently, though, there has been a revival of family dinners, which shows growing interest and importance in this institution. These dinners are helped along with games, conversation pieces, and other fun tactics.
Family dinners show up consistently in every culture they are practiced. In Northern Europe and France, family dinners still happen on a regular basis. Other cultures, notably Latin based cultures, emphasize other meals, but they are shared with family just the same.
A similar story appeared in America until the end of World War II. Before then, family members almost always went to dinner, and shared the events of the day. After the war, growing prosperity and the advent of TV scattered family at the dinner table. The quaint dinner scenes of Leave it to Beaver were already fading away, ironically, thanks to TV.
Now, family dinners are making a comeback, especially among the well educated. Studies linking family dinners to better performance at school and emotional stability have convinced many of the importance of family dinners. That said, in the world of today, making others join can be tough.
How can you make these dinners special? Good family dinner conversation helps. It always helps to share information about the days each member had, as well as problems and struggles they may be having. One could try conversational cards or inserting conversation pieces to help.
Another way to stimulate dinners are family dinner games. These dinner games can range from board games to card games to simple word games you know from your own childhood. Whatever they are, they have to be fun games.
Family dinners are an institution that is making a comeback. Games, conversational pieces, and the importance of studies are reviving these traditions. What keeps families at dinner is the time they spend with each other. Ultimately, that aspect is invaluable.
