Dr. Ana-Maria Temple says eating together as a family 5-7 times a week cuts risky teen behaviors by 75% and is linked to lower anxiety, healthier weight, and better grades. No screens, everyone at the table. It costs nothing.
Holistic pediatrician tip of the day: the one parenting hack that can reduce your child's risk of anxiety, asthma, improve their grade point average, and reduce risky teen behavior like smoking, drugs, sex, and alcohol. Family dinner. Children who have regular family meals 5 to 7 times a week have less anxiety and asthma than children who don't. Children who eat regular family meals with the TV off have healthier weights than children who don't. Family meals 5 to 7 times a week decreases risky teen behavior by 75%, and this includes sex, drugs, alcohol, smoking, violence, dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, eating disorders. Children who eat family meals 5 to 7 times a week eat more fruits and vegetables and healthy proteins than children who don't. What constitutes a family meal is when the children and the parents sit together at the dinner table eating together. Children eating at the counter while mom is doing the dishes is is not a family meal. Having the children sit at the counter or the table while the parent is serving them and moving around is not a family meal. Family dinner is the most important meeting of the day.
