Schedule Appointment
Schedule Appointment
Today’s lifestyles are busy and active. Family members are often scattered and engaged in a variety of different things. A key goal of Table Telling™ is to encourage families to gather in the home for a meal at least once or twice weekly. There is power behind a sit-down meal with the entire family present at the table. Sharing a meal together is a meaningful and effective approach to start conversations , build trust, promote self-esteem, and bolster social skills. Research indicates that eating together is an essential aspect of family life.
When a family sits down together, children and teens become better at handling the stresses of daily life; better at speaking to others and speaking up for themselves; become more confident in their support system. The following are impactful results gained from regular family meals at the dining table:
According to The National Council on Substance Abuse and Addiction (CASA), eating together as a family allows parents and children to join together emotionally and provides a sense of security for children and teens. This in itself can reduce rates of teen smoking, drinking, and drug use.
When sitting with family, children are given an opportunity to improve their conversational and social skills in a safe environment. Children and teens are more apt to practice using their voice, disagreeing with opinions, and speaking up for themselves, when given the chance in a comfortable environment. This “practice” gives them the tools to clearly communicate their feelings in their own words, making them better suited to speak up in potentially difficult situations.
Mealtimes are often the most common time children communicate with parents. Turning off the television and placing phones on a counter away from the table allows everyone in the family to connect. A child will seek counsel from the person he or she feels the most connected to. Sharing a family meal has that power to establish that connection and to provide an environment for a child to feel safe.
