Life is busy and with varying daily routines, mealtime can be especially hectic. The prospect of scarfing down your own grub while teaching your young ‘un to eat might seem like too much work, but more and more studies are showing that it’s worth the trouble.

Aside from the obvious benefit of quality time, family dining has many positives: 

Healthy Choices

Studies show that families who eat together on a regular basis eat fewer fried foods, more fruits and vegetables, and more balanced meals overall.

New Tastes

Monkey see, monkey do. Babies are more receptive to trying new foods if they see their parents enjoying them.

Improved Communication

By listening to their family sharing the goings-on of the day, your baby will pick up on language skills, listening skills and positive social conversation habits.

Learning Teamwork

By giving your small child a few safe, easy tasks to help out with, (i.e., finding the tomatoes in the fridge), they will learn about everything from counting to cooperation and teamwork.

A Stable Routine

Babies thrive on stability and routine  -- they need it to feel grounded and secure. Regular mealtimes make children less prone to crankiness and mood swings.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be dinner, but the ritual of a family meal is also shown to benefit children in the long haul. A recent Time magazine article cited several studies saying teens who sit down with their families to eat a few meals each week tend to do well at school, socially and in various hobbies and interests.

They also are less likely to feel depressed or to smoke, drink alcohol, or dabble in drug use.

So turn off the TV, grab a seat at the table and join your lil’ one for dinner. After all, as most parents would agree, talking to their kids is their favorite activity!