Mealtime with the family was such a strong influence on my life as an adult.

The amount of people I know who for reasons such as work commitments, childrens food fads, and generally the attitude to cooking a proper home cooked meal is just not commonplace.

It was the one time in my childhood I remember my mum and dad talking to each other about issues relating to us kids, and where I learned table manners for one and the art of social graces.

How many children I have encountered when visiting friends who just do not sit at the table, its usually a jacket potato cooked in the microwave and taken up their rooms where they stay until it is bed time, no doubt, either playing on the computer, talking to their friends on mobile phones or listening to their latest music on headphones. The family integration has sadly dwindled into oblivion.

I have a friend whose son ate with the wrong knife and fork placed in his hands.

My friends reasoning for this was that she never sat with him at meal times as she was constantly on a diet and when he was given his food at dinner time, he went into the front room sat on the floor in front of the TV and ate with his fingers. She on the other hand was frantically jumping up and down in front of her mirror doing physical jerks because she thought she was too fat.

I was actually appalled at his table manners and more so with my friend for allowing this behaviour. She was so busy concentrating on her own appearance she had lapsed her sons.

My family and I make it a big occasion when it comes to meals, especially if we go and visit my mum, who just loves to entertain, as much as I do. My brother is very big on family meal times and makes a real effort when we go to his as well to set the table up for us to sit around and eat our meals properly, without I might, the TV for company.

Time factors do put a bit of restraint on families especially when couples are doing shift work, but, there must be one day in the week where they make a conscious effort to sit with their children for a proper dinner, and I don't mean a takeaway.

We are always pleading that we don't have enough time because ? but you can make time.

Living on my own, I just love it when I have someone over for dinner and we all sit round the table and talk, and how often I have had friends round who equally say, how much fun it was just to sit and chat without the interference of TV, mobiles and computer games.

One night a week - a meal with the family, a reflection of the past or a hope for the future.

Learn more about this author, Holly Golightly.
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