by Mizie Cheng

Created on: November 04, 2008

Should families take time out for dinner and communication? Abolutely YES!

The modern society, even more so in the cities, is all hustle and bustle. Rush, rush, push, push. Not many take time to slow down, smell the flowers and take in the fresh air (not that there's much fresh air in the city!)

With the evolving structure of society, communication is becoming more abundant and convenient, but ironically the family unit is becoming more torn apart. It is indeed odd. It is therefore so important to make it a point to take time out for dinner, so that the family can communicate face-to-face, and spend time gelling with each other.

Everyone in the family needs food, they need to eat. So why not keep dinner time for family time? If you're rushing for time, killing two birds with one stone: eating, and communicating with your family.

All members of the family are seated for dinner together, and it becomes a sacred family time where everyone is there at the same time, knowing that it is a time that is specially for family. It is a time where everyone knows that everyone is important and everyone is equally important where family dinnertime is the place where everyone is allowed to speak and share about their lives. Family dinnertime is where compliments and caring is shared. Family dinnertime is the place where laughter is abundant. Where honesty about each others' lives is shared.

This is not about being legalistic about the dinner time, but it is about carving out time from our hectic and busy schedules and lives for what is important, and for what matters: family.

Why dinner, and not just a sit-down family meeting? Or, a drive along the expressway? Dinner is where everyone is seated, facing each other, and doing the same activity together. Facing each other and not moving away until everyone is done is very helpful in encouraging conversation, as it would be weird to have total silence throughout dinner. Conversation becomes 'essential' and soon after, it becomes natural to converse and share over dinner.

For families that do not practice family dinnertime, it can be challenging in the beginning, as most members of the family would have had set their routines in place already, and might be unwilling to give up their privacy of schedule. It would be easier to start off with once in 2 weeks, and then move it up to once a week, and then as often as you like. Family dinners can be made traditions, and with time, it becomes a timeless asset to your family.

Try it sometime, if you have not yet! You will not regret it!

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