Eating at the table: importance!

Eating at the table is not just about etiquette but also contributes to the physical and mental growth of children. It is a time when families get to know each other, discuss their problems and is an opportunity for parents to know what is happening in their child’s life. Most families feed the children first so that the adults can sit together later, and some insist on even toddlers joining the table. It would be ideal to bring the child to the table after s/he has completed five years of age as the child is no longer fidgety and can easily follow instructions.

There are certain things to keep in mind when eating together at the table.

The food is not as important as the people who get together to eat it, hence meal times should be convenient for the whole family, allowing for a late meal if a child has to come back from ball practice, or a spouse back from work. Give the child or adult a good fifteen minutes to unwind, wash up and then come down for meals so as to avoid the pressure of having to be on time and guilty if late. Involve the rest of the family in the meal by making sure each member (including young children) has a routine job like laying the table, putting out the napkins and mashing the potatoes.

Once the family sits down to eat, the table becomes a platform for sharing the events that happened in each person’s day. Make sure to avoid arguments and keep mealtimes as pleasant as possible. This will ensure that children will look forward to the next meal and not find excuses to eat alone or skip a meal.

Children can also be instructed in table manners, how to use their napkins, proper food bite size, how to use cutlery, proper table speech and so on. When eating at the table, it is best to keep the television off and to not allow the child to read a book either.

This goes for the adult as well who is likely to glance through a newspaper while breakfasting.
Adults act as role models to children and it is of paramount importance that they follow the rules that they set down. Such eating habits ensure that the family gets enough nutrients in the form of fruits and vegetables, discourages fast food and other snacking on chips and candy and also curbs the amount of adult intake of food as distractions from the television for instance may lead to an excess intake.