Responsibilities of parenthood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Responsibilities of parenthood - Essay Example And all of the above values and etiquettes are well inculcated by kids during common meal times. Thus, importance of having meal (and more preferably "dinner" because of its end of the day aura) together as a whole family is quite beneficial for children in terms of nutritional richness of food provided and the family conversation at the dining table. As cited from Rocketts article [1]: "Family dinner has been identified as a foundation of healthful food choices, possibly because of the higher quality of food served and the family conversations at the dinner table about healthful eating."[1] Family dinner has been from historical point of view important for that "special" interaction between its members that makes the bond between them stronger and everlasting in times of distress or threat. From the children's point of view, family dinners are important to understand the family values as well as other family members. meals together send the message that citizenship in a family entails certain standards beyond individual whims. This is where a family builds its identity and culture. Legends are passed down, jokes rendered, eventually the wider world examined through the lens of a family's values. In addition, younger kids pick up vocabulary and a sense of how conversation is structured [4]. The meal time ritual is important for both its social a... There are other benefits of taking the last meal of the day together, as explained; family dinner has opposite effect on weight gaining ability of adolescent children [1]. The direct relation is still under research (as of when the article was written), but taking a meal with family ensures a healthy and appropriate amount of meal goes inside children and adequate eating habits are formed from childhood itself. However, all is not said and done regarding family issues. There are many variables involved in the working of homes and families & every individual has to mould him/herself according to the circumstances prevalent at home. Double-income parents who have evening meetings that take them away from the table, workaholic spouses who don't come home at all, ringing telephone and last-but not the least- those ghastly memories of how children particularly when they are very small, behave when theyre at the table [3]. Historical aspect of family dinner [4] Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room. For most, meals were informal, a kind of rolling refueling; often only the men sat down. Not until the mid--19th century did the day acquire its middle-class rhythms and rituals; a proper dining room became a Victorian aspiration. When children were 8 or 9, they were allowed to join the adults at the table for instruction in proper etiquette. By the turn of the century, restaurants had appeared to cater to clerical workers, and in time, eating out became a recreational sport. [4]. Family dinner can be a respite from the hectic lives of family members to gather for a meal; it can improve the diet of the