Magical Mealtime
Perhaps there are still a few of us who remember the wholesome family setting portrayed in the television series “Leave It To Beaver”. June Cleaver adorned in an apron and pearls, Ward in a sweater and tie, the table was set, the kids all cleaned up, the steam rising from the green-bean casserole, and even the dog listens intently to what is being said. Much more than a meal transpired at this table; wisdom was shared, values imparted, confessions made, relationships repaired and the principles of life were honed in the hearts before millions of viewers each weekday evening.
Much about family mealtime has changed in the last couple generations. In a recent survey 14% of the teenagers polled had not eaten once with their family in the last week, an additional 19% had eaten only one or two meals together. In our fast-paced, extracurricular driven lives we have allowed our mealtimes to slip into a mode of individual improvisation with no routine, no rules, leave the TV on, everyone eats what they want and where they want with little to no regard for the rest of the family. It has affected out diet, our health, our happiness but most of all our relationships.
In her book, “The Surprising Power of Family Meals,” Miriam Weinstein writes of a number of benefits for those families who eat meals together regularly: (1) Children learn to be strong by hearing family stories of those who experienced hard times (2) Teenagers are twice as likely to get A’s (3) Children are less likely to develop alcoohol or drug addictions (4) Children experience less stress and are less likely to develop asthma (5) Children learn how to moderate food and thus avoid obesity, anorexia and bulimia (6) Children learn manners and how to participate in conversation (7) Families are more likely to eat healthy (8) Family meals are 8 times more helpful in teaching children vocabulary than reading to them.
These are just some of the benefits shared from a secular author’s perspective. The magic is not necessarily the mealtime itself as much as it is the daily occasion to sit down and share our lives with those we love and have been given responsibility to nurture. The Lord Jesus ministered many meaningful truths at His mealtime gatherings with His disciples. We would do well to do the same.