Call All Hands on Deck Momor Dad shouldn’t be expected to cook by themselves for every meal. This is family time, after all, so call in the kids! Make sure their tasks are age-appropriate— leave sautéing vegetables to the high schooler and let your first-grader set out the cups instead. This is the perfect opportunity to teach kids Happier Family
YOUR DINNER TABLE MIGHT BE THE KEY TO A
The family dinner is a staple of years gone by. These days, the only time you see a family sit together and break bread seems to be at Thanksgiving. This is a shame, because regular family dinners are incredibly important! It’s a time to bond with your loved ones that can have a positive impact on your kids’lives. A study published in the journal Pediatrics found
that kids who regularly partake in family meals are less likely to experience depression or engage in drug use. Furthermore, The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University determined that kids who eat family meals five to seven times a week bring home higher report cards. Even when schedules are busy, you canmake family dinners fit into your agenda with these tips. Be Flexible About Mealtimes Dinner
valuable kitchen skills and to take some of the burden off your plate. Plus, if your kids are picky eaters, inviting them to be part of the cooking process canmake them more inclined to try the finished product.
Don’t StressYourself Out It’s okay if you’re too busy on a Monday to cook dinner. There’s always Tuesday. Or you can take a trip to your favorite family restaurant. Family meals should be fun, and that can’t happen if you’re stressed. Don’t feel pressured to make eachmeal perfect or to prepare a three-course dinner every night. Chicken and rice can get the job done as long as you’re all sitting around the table as a family.
doesn’t have to be at 6 p.m. on the dot. If Kamala has a karate tournament in the evening or Peter needs to stay late at school for art club, why not break out the healthy snacks andmake dinner happen a little later or earlier? Plus, the meal you share as a family doesn’t have to be at dinnertime. If there’s time in the mornings, sit down for breakfast. If you have the opportunity on weekends or during a school break, grab lunch together.
Nomatter how hectic your schedule may be, making family meals a priority is always worth the investment. Who’s in the mood for meatloaf?
March Testimonial Don’t Just Take Our Word for It
FEELING BETTER! “Thanks to Chris, Maria, and Matt for getting me moving again. After having back surgery, I tended to baby myself out of fear of injuring myself again. Within one week, I was feeling much better. I continue to get better with the exercises. Thank you! It was a pleasure!” –CHRISTINA D.
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