The tradition that the family gets together to eat meals is disappearing. What are the reasons? What are the impacts?

The traditional family mealtime is indeed dwindling in popularity. While some factors contribute to the shifting pattern of behaviour, there are significant impacts on family life and health. There are two apparent reasons why families no longer share mealtimes as they used to do in the past.

Firstly

, advances in technology are indisputably at the root of

this

phenomenon.

In other words

, children are often too impatient to eat at the table, and parents sometimes allow them to have their meal in front of the TV or sitting in front of the computer.

Secondly

, the close-knit family is disappearing in the face of economic pressures. In single-parent households or families with working mothers, it can be almost impossible to arrange regular dinners when the whole family is present. The consequences for family life and children’s well-being are severe.

to begin

, meals taken together are crucial to strengthening family bonds.

This

family routine is an essential factor in shaping children’s personalities during their formative years. If all family members gather to eat and discuss their work, happiness, and difficulties, these children will learn about compassion, tolerance, and empathy, which will stand them in good stead in the future. In terms of children’s health, family gatherings were an opportunity to provide all the family members with a healthier diet based on wholesome homemade food. Without

this

routine, children are sometimes left to have snacks or eat junk food at fast-food chains. Well-being consequences, like obesity and hyperactivity, often result when youngsters fail to eat a balanced diet,

such

as used to be provided at family mealtimes. In conclusion, some reasons can be identified for the decline in shared family meals, and the impacts are overwhelmingly negative.