No parent wants their child to be the victim of cyberbullying. But could something as simple as having regular family dinners together help reduce the potential negative effects on a child’s psyche? A new study reported in the journal JAMA Pediatrics found that this may very well be the case.
The study’s authors explain the benefits of family dinners: “With more frequent dinners comes more regular family contact, which facilitates parental guidance and support, open communication with parents and siblings, and opportunities for adolescents to express problems and concerns as they arise.” They found that for kids who experienced cyberbullying, just sitting down to at least 4 family meals a week made them less likely to suffer from depression, anxiety and the desire to harm themselves.
Past research also points to the other benefits of family dinners like better grades for kids and fostering healthier eating habits. How important is to you to carve out time in a busy day for family dinners? What are the benefits you’ve experienced that you’d like to share with others?
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