It is true that the traditional family mealtime is becoming a thing of the past. There are some reasons which can be put forward to explain this changing pattern of behaviour, and there are significant impacts on family life and health.
There are two obvious reasons why families no longer share mealtimes as they used to do in the past. Firstly, children are often too impatient to eat at the tables, and parents sometimes allow them to have their meal in front of the TV or sitting in front of the computers. Secondly, the close-knit familes are disappearing in the face of economic pressures. In single-parent households, or in families with working mothers, it can be almost impossible to arrange regular times for meals when all the family is together.
The consequences for family life and for children’s health are serious. From the perspective of the family, meals taken together are an important factor in shaping children’s personality during their formative years. Family mealtimes are a time to share news, give guidance and to make plans together. In terms of children’s health, family meals are an opportunity to provide all the family members with a healthier diet, based on wholesome home-made food. Without this routine, children are sometimes left to have snacks or eat junk food at fast food chains. Health consequences such as obesity and hyperactivity often result when youngsters fail to eat a balanced diet, such as used to be provided at family mealtimes.
In conclusion, some reasons can be identified for the decline in shared family meals and the impacts are overwhelmingly negative.
It is true that the traditional
family
mealtime is becoming a thing of the past. There are
some
reasons which can
be put
forward to
explain
this changing pattern of
behaviour
, and there are significant impacts on
family
life and health.
There are two obvious reasons why
families
no longer share mealtimes as they
used
to do in the past.
Firstly
,
children
are
often
too impatient to eat at the tables, and parents
sometimes
allow
them to have their
meal
in front of the TV or sitting in front of the computers.
Secondly
, the close-knit
familes
are disappearing in the face of economic pressures. In single-parent households, or in
families
with working mothers, it can be almost impossible to arrange regular times for
meals
when all the
family
is together.
The consequences for
family
life and for
children’s
health are serious. From the perspective of the
family
,
meals
taken together are an
important
factor in shaping
children’s
personality during their formative years.
Family
mealtimes are a time to share news, give guidance and to
make
plans together. In terms of
children’s
health,
family
meals
are an opportunity to provide all the
family
members with a healthier diet, based on wholesome home-made food. Without this routine,
children
are
sometimes
left
to have snacks or eat junk food at
fast
food chains. Health consequences such as obesity and hyperactivity
often
result when youngsters fail to eat a balanced diet, such as
used
to
be provided
at
family
mealtimes.
In conclusion
,
some
reasons can
be identified
for the decline in shared
family
meals
and the impacts are
overwhelmingly
negative
.