Dinner Table Conversations Are Important to Families For Many Reasons. Inspire Can Help!
This article was originally published on November 22, 2013. We are sharing it with our new readers in hopes that it may inspire new thoughts and conversations with your family
Dinner Table Conversations Are Important to Families For Many Reasons. Inspire Can Help!
There has been a lot of research showing the benefits of spending dinner time together as a family, and the conversations that occur around the table are vital to helping children become successful adults and productive citizens in society.
Inspire Conversation was started in order to foster better communication and bonding within families, and spending a half an hour several times a week enjoying a meal and discussing important issues can help children in many ways. Even if your family only has 15 minutes to spend together the benefits can be enormous for all family members.
Concepts Behind Inspire Conversation Can Help Your Children in Their Career
As parents we have a responsibility to prepare our children for the world, and a career that they will succeed at. Dinner table conversations help families connect on a regular basis, and this reinforces positive values and provides a support system for each family member. The stories and topics at Inspire Conversation are designed to provoke thought and motivate kids and teens to respond.
Inspire Conversation was started so that parents and kids had a valuable resource that can help them communicate about the important issues and values today. Dinner table talk can even jump start your child’s career as Beth Kuhel explains in from diploma 2 dream job.
Dinner conversations that are positive and productive can help keep your entire family happier and healthier, with each member having more self esteem and the tools needed to succeed in life.
The Benefits of Dinner Table Conversations are Important for Future Career Success
- Dinner table conversations boost intellectual curiosity
- A lower risk of childhood obesity
- Less depression at any age
- A stronger bond between family members
- Better communication skills
- Higher self esteem
- Active listening skills are learned
- Enhanced logical reasoning
- A better ability to analyze
- Strong negotiating skills
- Creative problem solving
All of these skills can be learned during dinner time conversations but they transfer into the workplace and chosen career.
Important Concepts for Dinner Table Conversations
- Initiate and encourage stimulating discussions that are age appropriate
- Include stories and topics that teach empathy and compassion for others
- Ask open ended questions that require a comprehensive answer. Instead of asking “What did you do today?” be more specific. Ask about a specific class, or an activity that the child enjoyed.
- Consider the values and lessons that you want to impart during the dinner time conversations. This may require a little planning but it can be very beneficial.
- Talk about careers, modern events, and a wide range of other topics in order to widen your kids horizons and show them all of the opportunities that are possible.
- Provide support and make sure that each family member is engaged in the conversation.
- Keep discussions respectful and the topics fairly light. Encourage questions and discussions from every family member.
Inspire Conversation Gives Parents and Kids Somewhere to Turn
Inspire Conversation is intended to make parents and children think, and to offer topics to start dinner time conversations so that families get stronger and each member succeeds. There are many values and life lessons that children need to see and discuss, and dinner table conversations can help make this happen.
- How often does your family eat dinner together every week?
- What do you talk about at the dinner table?
- Does everyone participate n dinner time conversations?
- Do you have any tips to offer other families in order to inspire conversation?
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