Studies show that eating together as a family has many benefits, but did you know that eating together as a family can also help with ADHD symptoms?
October is Eat Better, Eat Together month, so it’s the perfect time to create a new habit that can pay off big time in the long run!
Read the list below about some of the benefits of eating together as a family, and discover how doing this regularly can also help support a child with ADHD.
4 Benefits of Eating Together as a Family:
1. Eating together as a family can foster healthier eating habits in children.
A study by JAMA Network Open showed the connection between family meals and healthier eating habits, especially among adolescents.
What does this have to do with ADHD?
Healthier eating habits, as you may already know, lead to less inflammation in the body.
We know that inflammation exacerbates ADHD symptoms, so it makes sense that the less inflammation you have, the fewer symptoms that are exacerbated.
If you’d like to know more about how inflammation affects ADHD symptoms and haven’t yet watched my free masterclass, watch it here – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/25min-webinar-registration
It’s only 25 minutes long, but chock full of information about how the foods we eat can affect ADHD.
2. Eating together as a family can improve kids’ social skills.
This Science Daily article explains that children who regularly eat with their families at the dinner table have more social skills than those who do not regularly do so.
Many children with ADHD struggle socially, so building in this time to practice is so important.
3. Eating together as a family can reduce stress.
Studies suggest that children who eat together with their families on a regular basis have less stress than those who don’t.
And if you think about it, it makes sense.
One of the keys to fighting stress is having a support system in place. By eating together with their families, kids are (hopefully) provided with an opportunity to share about their worries, fears, and anxieties, building up their confidence and support system.
Stress within the body (just like inflammation) can also exacerbate ADHD symptoms, so the more we can reduce stress, the better!
4. Eating together can strengthen family relationships.
Parents can use the dinner table to strengthen family relationships. Encourage children to share about their day. Show them through active listening that they matter and that their thoughts and feelings matter.
For kids with ADHD, their connection to their caregivers is often one of the KEYS to regulating their nervous systems and managing their emotions.
One of the most common challenges that parents tell me about is emotional dysregulation…a child who cannot seem to keep their emotions in check.
Want to know what helps them learn this valuable skill?
It’s their caregivers! It’s the connection within that key relationship!
And one easy way to build that connection is at the dinner table.
So today, I wanted to offer a challenge. Eat together as a family as often as you can this month, and use that time to build up your child. To strengthen that connection. To encourage the positive things you see in them.
Our kids hear so many negative messages throughout the day. Let’s take a few minutes each day to give them some positive ones!
Want to know more about how we can help YOU get to a place of peace and calm with your child using natural strategies?
Let’s talk!
with one of my expert team members to help you take your next step toward a healthier, happier home. There is absolutely NO RISK. It’s free, and there are no obligations. All we will do is chat about how we can help you get to where you want to go!
Alternatively, for more details about how you can help reduce your child’s ADHD symptoms, sign up for my today
And as always, I am not a medical doctor and the above post is based on my experience. No information on this site should be relied upon to make a medical diagnosis, treat, prevent or cure any disease or medical condition.
