Are Family Dinners Obsolete?

After showing the video accompanying this post to a group of pre-teens, I asked them two questions about family dinners. The first question was: Why do you think so many families do not have dinner together? And the second question: What are the benefits, if any, to eating together as a family?

Here are some of their answers to the first question:

• "Because there is no time anymore and it is not 'formal' every night."

• "Because of just the family stress, they're busy, or they just don't want to."

• "Because they don't have time, they don't want to, they may be anti-social, or there may be relationship problems."

• "Maybe they're too hungry or they don't have manners."

• "Busy schedules, stress, hatred toward your family, social life, Facebook, and other Internet stuff."

• "I think that most people would rather watch TV and eat then sit with your family and eat."

• "They could care less."

Some of the participants said that they only eat together during holidays. Their parents are either not home, on the computer or their cell phones or watching television. I asked the pre-teens who rarely eat with their family if they would like to. All but one raised their hand. 

Daily life is busier than in the 1950s, but is it because it is beyond our control or a choice?

Next week,  I will post their responses to the second question.

Rosalinda Oropeza Randall is an etiquette consultant who owns Your Relationship Edge in which she teaches classes and presents workshops to a variety of audiences. She can be reached at rosalinda@yourrelationshipedge.com and her website is www.yourrelationshipedge.com. She can also be reached on Facebook.