Make a Commitment to ​​Family ​Mealtime

Let’s be honest: By the time children ​enter elementary school, ​parents are ​running ​from work to ​​swim ​lessons, ​dance classes, and soccer practices. Add multiple children to the mix with multiple activities, and the weeknights become pretty hectic. All is not lost! Making time for family meals is possible, and it can make a lasting positive impression on parents and children alike.

To get started, take the dinner-table pledge​! Let it become your first step toward meaningful conversations around the dinner table this month. Garner everyone’s input, commit to a dinner schedule that’s realistic for your family, and work together to achieve your goal.

If this is your first time sitting down together as a family in a while, it could ​be awkward. The first step is to make sure the atmosphere is appropriate. Few things in life shut down a conversation faster than a smartphone or television screen, so make the dinner table a no-screen zone. Treat your family meals as ​sacred, and focus on the faces at your table, not the digital distractions within arm’s reach.