Having Family Dinners Can Lessen Drug Abuse in Kids
Everyone’s lives seem more packed; more busy than ever. Especially families. There are so many activities, responsibilities, technological distractions, and household chores, that quality family time often gets pushed aside. People find themselves telling their kids “in a minute” more often than they would like, or saying “we’ll do it tomorrow” and never finding the time. For this and other reasons, researchers decided to study the correlation between drug use in kids and the frequency of their families sitting down to a family dinner together. The results are interesting
Not surprisingly, making family a priority and allowing family to influence each other during key times, such a dinner, greatly lessens a kid’s desire to abuse drugs. Family dinners can be used as times to talk about good things and bad things that happen throughout the day and strengthen the bonds that already exist. Generally, family members value each other’s opinions and consider them thoughtfully. During mealtime, opinions can be voiced and discussed which also strengthens family bonds.
Wise parents can use dinnertime to talk to their kids about their knowledge of drugs and other substances. By doing so, children can be given the opportunity to ask questions they may not have asked otherwise. Further, studies show that having family dinner together positively impacts kids in many ways – not just in regards to drug abuse prevention. At this time of the year, making family dinners a priority as you plan your back to school routine is key. Kids are more likely to excel in academics and have more open relationships with their loved ones, giving them a safe place to share their concerns and thoughts and feelings in relation to drug abuse.