Table the discussion – 'family dinner' can happen anywhere
February 20th, 2013
10:00 AM ET
Share this on:

Editor's note: Bruce Feiler is a columnist and the author of "The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, & Much More." To hear more from Feiler, don't miss "Sanjay Gupta MD," at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday and 4:30 p.m. ET Sunday.

A tip for stressed-out parents: Beware conventional wisdom.

If parents have heard anything in the last few years, it's that family dinner is great for kids. And there is research that suggests this. Children who regularly eat dinner with their families are less likely to drink, smoke, take drugs or develop eating disorders.

Yet here's the bad news: Fewer and fewer of us can make this happen with our schedules. A UNICEF study found that the United States ranked 23rd out of 25 countries in the percentage of children who eat the main meal of the day with their parents several times a week.

Now here's the good news: There is an alternative. Dig deeper into the research and the data offer encouraging news for parents and a clear solution.

Read - The right way to have family dinner

Posted by:
Filed under: Culture • Parenting • Sanjay Gupta


soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. I'm_Hungry_for_FISH_

    I'd rather NOT have family meals.

    MOM,just gimme my burger before dad comes home drunk and pukes on my food,kay?

    February 24, 2013 at 8:48 pm |
  2. Tami S.

    I watched you during the most recent election being divisive and anti Mitt Romney. Because of people like you who share unqualified opinions, we have four more years of Obama.
    And now you are attempting to spew parenting advice? Are you serious?? You only have two children, both girls and both young. You have never parented boys, you have never raised a child to adulthood, you have never delt with teenagers, you hVe never gotten a daughter thru puberty, you have never dealt with dating, Internet porn, and all of the other issues facing parents and families today. You could not be any less qualified unless you were single with no kids.
    Are you that desperate for income or do you actually believe that you are an expert on all things that stumble out of your mouth?
    Sheesh. Posing as a false expert is NOT why God placed you on this earth. Stop being selfish and greedy and get back on the path.

    February 23, 2013 at 5:11 pm |
  3. GiGi Eats Celebrities

    My family used to make it a point when we were younger to have dinner together at least on the weekends. I always looked forward to that. I love my family and my father is the best chef that I know! :)

    February 21, 2013 at 10:58 pm |
  4. Ivan

    I just got paid $6784 working off my laptop this month. And if you think that's cool, my divorced friend has twin toddlers and made over $9k her first month. It feels so good making so much money when other people have to work for so much less. This is what I do, Big44.ℂℴℳ

    February 20, 2013 at 5:59 pm |
  5. Jdizzle McHammerpants ♫♫

    The milkman is lurking outside....

    February 20, 2013 at 10:40 am |
 
| Part of