The benefits of reading are well-documented, many and substantial. Reading develops an excellent linguistic and cognitive platform not only for learning a language, but for successfully engaging in all subjects – even mathematics. Reading is also a primary predictor of future academic success.
There is another incredibly powerful parenting and educational platform, that like reading pays handsome dividends, is incredibly easy to implement, and is also a primary predictor of future academic success.
Research tells us that the children of families that practice this are better socially adjusted than those who don’t, have a more positive attitude to school, perform better academically, are happier and less prone to delinquent behaviour and drug and alcohol abuse.
Conversations that take place around this platform provide a fantastic opportunity for children to acquire important linguistic and cognitive skills. In fact, several studies indicate that it is able to extend vocabulary more than the same time spent reading!
Yet sadly, unlike reading, it has received very little support and attention. Once the cornerstone of family life it has diminished substantially over the last few decades. I am talking about the family meal.
Stop for a minute and consider for yourself some of the elements and dynamics involved in a typical family supper, and these lofty claims may appear less surprising. Just the process of family members recounting their day encourages children to respect and value their own experiences and opinions, and those of others as well. Family meals also provide a wonderful forum to promote listening skills, compromise and courtesy, to learn how to resolve conflict and to develop empathy – qualities that today are sadly in short supply.
So if your family hasn’t developed a culture of eating together, this period of lockdown is the perfect time to do so. And if you are thinking that there is little point, as once things return to normal work and school schedules will make this impossible to sustain – don’t. Studies have shown that sharing even just five meals together each week yields substantial returns, and family meals don’t only mean supper. So start now and make sure that sharing meals together as a family is something that remains firmly and permanently on your table.