Recipe for a Healthy Family
February 7, 2008The studies that we conduct never cease to amaze me. Actually, the results/conclusions of the never-ending string of studies are really what tend to baffle my mind. I really am not against studies because we do learn quite a bit from them, I just have to laugh at the thought process by secular society. Today I listened to a discussion on NPR about the benefit of having a family dinner. Apparently, families that sit down together for dinner every night can solve society’s woes of drug addictions, alcohol abuse, pre-marital sex, and gang involvement. This, according to a study done on children of families who regularly have dinner together. Wow!!! Who knew the power of the family dinner?!?! So, to all my friends and family out there who want a healthy family….engage in the family dinner.
Sure, I’m scoffing a bit at the study, but you would too if you heard the discussion about the mystery of the family dinner! Towards the end of the discussion someone finally piped some sense into conclusions from the study. No, there is not in fact some magical mystery behind the family dinner. Yes, a logical conclusion would be to look at the factors surrounding the family dinner…to evaluate what is being accomplished:
- face to face conversation amongst family members (specifically parents to children)
- interaction (more than grunts and mumbles)
- behavior assessment/evaluation/discovery (parents to children)
Whatever the context, these types of behaviors will provide positive results. It is amazing what happens when a family actually acts LIKE A FAMILY!!!!
So, you want a healthy family?? Just sit down to dinner together. Mixed with a few other ingredients, a pinch of conversation, a dash of interaction, and you never know what might be served alongside of the food!
wow, quit scoffing indeed. You’re point is valid, but the truth of it is that *most* families, Christian or otherwise, do not take the time to act LIKE A FAMILY!!!! (emphasis yours)
NPR goofiness or not, Sitting down at dinner provides one way to facilitate families acting like a family when they would normally not, just as a family game night or family-go-for-a-walk-night.
Even if their interpretation sounded a bit shallow, the results are valid. Sometimes, especially with children of varying ages and schedules, a family dinner night is all that can be mustered. In other words “I don’t care how you get there, just get there!”
And P.S. - Family Sports-Watching-Night doesn’t seem to be a valid substitution… i dont know why, but i’m going to keep trying it.
btw, that meant to say “quite” … not “quit” … wasn’t trying to be demanding… man, i’m always spamming your site, sorry
family sports-watching-night…sounds like a winner to me…oh, except for the lack of meaningful converstaion…but who really needs that?!