Family Mealtime

            From the desk of  Brittany Jimenez, RN Brittany Jimenez, RN Being a working Mom myself, I often struggle with keeping the fridge stocked and making healthy meals for my family. Luckily, websites like Pinterest and Facebook are loaded with quick and nutritious meal ideas. Now to just get everyone to the table for dinner! Sitting down as a family and eating with one another is just as important as the quality of the food that is served. So what exactly are some of the benefits of family mealtimes? Family mealtime offers a platform for children to develop social skills and table manners, become good conversationalists and can help to build a stronger vocabulary. Family mealtime creates links between the different generations and allows children to ask questions about their family’s history and hear family stories.Sitting down with one another promotes health benefits for the entire family. Children who eat with their family are less likely to be overweight or have eating disorders. Children and teens that eat with their families have a lower Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI is the measurement of how much fat is in the body compared to an individual’s height and weight. Older children and teenagers who participate in family meals often have a higher GPA and higher self-esteem. Parents can better monitor a child’s mood and behaviors, and are more apt to pick up on any signs of depression or trouble in ...
Source: Pediatric Health Associates - Category: Pediatrics Tags: Healthy Habits Source Type: news