"Time to eat!" would resonate throughout my home at six o'clock every evening as I grew up. From various parts of the house my family would assemble at the dinner table, and for those 40 minutes we had to be unplugged of the various obligations of life, sitting together and sharing a meal. At the time I felt that this was simply a ritual everyone took part in; it was not until high school that I began to realize that having a family dinner each night was not the norm.
In today's fast-paced society families are often on the go. Children participate in sports, clubs, and other after school activities and parents work late hours, making the concept of families dining together difficult. Often growing up, I did not understand why I wasn't allowed to eat in my room while doing homework or watching television, but as a young adult I've come to recognize that the family dinner was a necessary part of my daily life. Let this be known this is not to bash other families' habits, but to simply thank my own for a ritual that I will always cherish.
In recent media, there have been many pieces done on the positive effects of eating together. Psychological studies and surveys have been administered in order to prove the lasting mental health benefits from sharing a sit down meal together, without the distraction of technology. Even a foundation has started called, The Family Dinner Project, in order to promote this ritual, saying that it can lead to better grades, and higher self-esteem in children. While I condone what this project stands for, and would like to agree with the positive qualities it attributes the family dinner to, I simply appreciate the uninterrupted time with my parents and siblings it provided.
As a teenager, I went to an intensive college prep school with a rigorous course load, making free time minimally available. My parents could have easily let me inhale a quick dinner in my bedroom or grab fast food between clubs, but they did not. Each day I had to extract myself from whatever project or racing thought I had in order to sit, eat, and have a discussion. Though I cannot say that each family dinner brought me enlightenment, or peace of mind, it was a distraction from my daily obligations. The dinners allowed me to check in on the lives of my family, those who were such an integral part of my life that I often took for granted asking how they were doing. As we sat, eating a variety of different meals each day from simple chicken tenders to a bigger meal of roast beef and mashed potatoes on Sundays, my sister could talk about the woes of middle school, or my parents could tell a funny anecdote about work. Regardless of the story or quip, it was time spent together through the midst of quickly passing life.
As I began and still continue living away at college, I often catch myself missing these dinners, not just because I am sick of cafeteria dining, but because I feel I am left out of the simple stories that make up the daily lives of my family. I know that I cannot call my home at six because there will be no answer. Now due to the ritual I had in the past, I rely on going to dinner each night at six o'clock. At school, I eat with my surrogate family: my friends. Much like at home, we sit down together and discuss the latest news, sharing with each-other the best and worst of our days. In this way, a simple act of eating dinner brings a time of togetherness.
Reflecting on these memories, I would like to say to my parents: Thank you for forcing me to slow down long enough to spend meaningful time together. With fondness for the family dinner, I hope to one day call to my own saying, "Time to eat!"
