Family meal time

Family meal times are fun and teach children many things. It is important that there must be at least one meal in a day where all the members of the house sit together and have food, preferably on the dining table. During these meal times, children learn portion-control and they quickly adapt to family foods. Family meal time must be started as early as 6 months of age. It must not be combined with television viewing. Older children must be allowed to help themselves while serving. They must be encouraged to eat all the varieties of foods that are on table. The menu must be prepared keeping this in mind. Unhealthy foods like fried foods or bakery foods, which one would not want to give children must not be kept on table. Family meal time helps bonding. Quality of food must be decided by the parents but quantity of food must be decided by the child. Parents are advised not to yell at their children or throw tantrums during meal times. Children often learn from parents and erratic behaviours acquired early in life seldom go away. Since parents are perfect role models to children, parents must eat only healthy foods in front of children.