RESOURCE: Eating together as a family

[THECOUCH at aol.com]

I ran across a really neat abstract in Dissertations International about the 
importance of ritual for children.  I will have to dig for it, but it 
stressed that children feel more secure and stable when there is an element 
of ritual in their lives.  That can be a daily ritual such as mealtime or a 
holiday ritual that celebrates culture.

I also, with my speciality in disordered eating, feel that mealtime is not 
just about eating, it is about sharing.  Children who have a forum for 
talking about the day, who have their parents' attention on a regular basis 
to decompress from the day, receive a boost of self-esteem, joke around, and 
can get help solving problems in their lives...do not need to turn to food 
between meals as a stress management tool.  Sometimes I think that is even 
more important than what is being served.

Regards,

Monika M. Woolsey, MS, RD
http://www.afterthediet.com