Breaking bread with your children allows them to model your behavior, which is necessary for instilling good manners. Eating together offers children the chance to see their parents eat a variety of foods, too. It’s not always possible for all family members to be together at every meal. Don’t worry about not being there all the time. Experts say that while eating family meals together fosters closeness and development, time spent together is what really matters. Studies done at the University of Minnesota and the University of North Carolina found parents’ presence in the home was associated with reduced drug use, sex, violence, and emotional distress in teenagers. Although your children are a long way from adolescence, now is the time to get into the habit of spending time together without distraction. If you cannot be present for mealtime, encourage your child to sit with you while you eat when you return home. Up until your child goes to elementary school, his life is relatively free of extracurricular activities. It will only get harder to gather everyone around the table for dinner as time goes on. So take advantage of this time of your child’s life and try to have as many meals together as possible.
