Daily Tips for Families

Today's Tip for Families

10-29-2022

Eating Meals Together Can Increase Success in School

Sharing meals as a family can contribute to children's success in school—and decrease troublesome behavior. Eating together gives family members time to communicate, share goals and support one another.

Here are some suggestions for planning family meals:

Keep it simple. Don't worry about cooking a gourmet meal. The easier the food is to cook, the more time you'll have with your family.
Be creative. If your family can't eat dinner together, plan another special meal. Some families eat breakfast together. Others meet for dessert at the end of the day.
Have fun. Include everyone in the conversation. Avoid topics that your children won't enjoy.
Let your child pitch in. It's fun for kids to help plan and prepare meals. They can help shop, cook, set the table and more.
Introduce your child to new words. One study showed that kids who heard new words at dinner scored higher on vocabulary tests. Try using specific words, such as zucchini instead of vegetables.
Invite others to join you. Choose a Saturday evening to host a meal or plan a potluck dinner.
Start family traditions. For example, you might eat tacos on Tuesdays or make pancakes on Saturday mornings. The best traditions only need two ingredients: family and fun.

Brought to you by:

Gwinnett County Public Schools