by Sharon Meyer

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: February 07, 2009

Gathering for the family meal was once a normal fact of everyday life. However, with the hustle and bustle of living in a fast paced society that causes not only parents to be on the run but, also the children this normal gathering for the family meal has become much harder to accomplish..

The dinner meal is an important part of family life. It is a time for everybody to take a break from their busy schedules and gather together to discuss the happenings of the day.. If families start this as a family tradition when the children are very young it is much easier for the children to accept it as part of what is expected from them when they are in their teens and much more likely to be in that phase of life where they try to distance themselves from family life. Eating the family meal together builds stronger families and better relationships.

If your family is trying to get back into having dinner together as a family and your teens are reluctant with the idea here are a few ways to bring them back to the family.

1. Keep stress away from the dinner table : dinner is a great time for family discussions but it is definitely not the time to discuss sensitive or hot topics. Johnny's poor grades and Suzy's new interest in Gothic dressing is best left to discuss at another time. Keep all discussions light and positive in nature.

2. Make a list of your children's favorite meals and let them know ahead of time when you will be making it. Sometimes you need to entice them back to the table and a little bribe is fair game.

3. Add some fun back into the family meal. Put a nice table cloth on the table , use your fine china and light some candles. Choose one day a week where you serve your meal backwards. We call them backwards Fridays here. The kids know that on Friday nights they can expect to be served dessert first. Once a month they know that they can expect a large breakfast instead served for dinner. Who doesn't love sausage, bacon and eggs or even waffles and pancakes.

4. If scheduling is what is keeping everybody from gathering for the family meal then try changing your mealtime to a different time. Not everybody has to have dinner at 6:00 PM how about gathering at 8:00 or even 9:00 in the evening ? This works out great for families whose kids have late after school sports or dad has to work late.

5. For parents who both work late and preparing that dinner time meal is the problem. Try making and freezing some meals ahead of time. Simple dishes that you can leave out to defrost in the morning and place into the oven to warm up when you get home from work.

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