GRAND Magazine - March/April 2019 - 23

bridges together

The family that eats together....stays together
BY ANDREA J. FONTE WEAVER

ecently, I was visiting with
an older gentleman who was
post-surgery. The nurse asked
the man: "How is it possible that all
of your adult children have come to
visit so quickly? What's the secret?"
The patient replied confidently and
quickly: It all starts at the dinner table.

 If you live long distance, consider getting a meal delivery
service for your grands and their families like Hello Fresh or Blue
Apron. You can pick out the meals with your grands and even
facetime while they prepare the dish.
 Make extra portions to send home with the grands or for
you to freeze and enjoy another day.
 Ask each person to either help cook and set-up or clean-up.
Even the youngest child can put out the napkins. In doing so, she
learns to be a contributing member of the community.

Around the table

Whether at home, at school, or at
work, gathering around the dinner
table to share a meal is helpful for
many reasons. There is a great deal of
research about the benefits of eating
dinner together. Sandi Richard, in her
book: Anyone Can Cook Dinner, succinctly summarizes:
Eating together at home often
results in:
* Better concentration at work or
school [parents and youth]
* Better grades
* Better body image
And your [tweens and teens] are:
* Less likely to abuse drugs
* Less likely to abuse alcohol
* More likely to have better social skills
* More likely to have a higher self esteem
Grandparents, your dinner table (or the one you take them to
in the restaurant) might be the only place that your grands enjoy a
nutritional meal with rich conversation and a heaping dose of love.
23 GRAND

MARCH APRIL 2019

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Tips for grandparents to help make
meals together happen

Some may proclaim that eating together is easier said than
done. But, as with all things, begin somewhere.
 Look at the calendar with your adult children and choose
one MEAL per week or month to enjoy together. Get it on everyone's calendar. It does not have to be dinner; perhaps Sunday
brunch is best.
 Ask family members for suggestions on what to serve at
the meal.

Click here for healthful
no-cook snack recipes

Andrea J. Fonte Weaver is founder & executive director
of Bridges Together, Inc., an internationally recognized
nonprofit providing intergenerational training and tools for
grandparents, schools, communities, and companies. For
more info, visit: www.BridgesTogether.org

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GRAND Magazine - March/April 2019

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