Some food for thought

By Jeffrey D. Murrah

Modern families enjoy the benefits of labor and time-saving devices. Many of these devices have made our lives easier. One of the drawbacks to these many devices and associated lifestyle changes is the deterioration of family life. The deterioration occurs gradually and with little notice. The main area where this deterioration occurs is family meals.

Mealtimes are one of the few times that modern families are together in one place. With all the labor-saving devices, the quality of mealtimes has also been affected. The effects are in the quality of the meals, the quality of the time and the quality of behaviors.

Children are still growing and developing. Being that they are still growing and developing, having healthy, nutritious and well-balanced meals is important. Sadly in order to save some time in the kitchen, families opt for a regular diet of fast food that robs their children of essential nourishment. Occasional fast food meals do not present a problem. It is the phenomena of families that routinely rely of fast food to feed their children that create a problem. Diet affects how a person thinks, acts and feels. Diets lacking in nutritional needs can lead to bigger problems down the road. Much as routine automotive service can reduce our problems, routine healthy diets reduce health problems also.

A second problem associated with the reliance of fast food is deterioration in the quality of family time. People tend to value what they invest their time into. When a minimal amount of time and effort goes into a meal, the family responds by lowering the value placed on it. Mealtimes become nothing more than physical refueling. Twenty years ago, the term 'mealtime' was associated with not only food, but sharing and togetherness. Twenty years from now, 'mealtime' may be nothing more than just another necessary bodily function.

Somehow sharing a bucket of chicken or bag of burgers does not seem comparable to the warmth of sharing a home cooked meal with family members. Instead of Norman Rockwell or Thomas Kinkade type of Americana, modern families gather around a bag of tacos from the fast food establishment, with the home lit up from the television. Children need time with family members to share the events and concerns of the day instead of trying to squeeze in comments during the commercial break.

Family mealtime is also the time to teach children table manners. Children do not like being nagged about table manners, although it is one of the items others will notice in public. When they are seen, good table manners are praised. With reliance on fast-food, the level of expected table behaviors also declines. Fast food may have saved some time, but what has it cost the family in terms of emotional attachment, manners and nutrition?

Jeffrey D. Murrah is a licensed marriage and family therapist with offices in Pasadena and La Porte. He can be reached at (713) 944-4335 or through his website at www.restorethefamily.com 

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