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18
little children. But with the advent of
teen-age something tragic happens.
Communication breaks clown. Alien–
ation begins. Thus a generation of chil–
dren has commonly bccome at odds
with its own parents!
Why?
Examine your own situation. When
does
yo111'
whole family - every mem–
bcr - get together and
talk -
really
have a good conversation and family
communication? Chanccs are- seldom,
if cver.
You know how it is. Everyone is
busy. All the members of the family are
involved in various activities in this
fast-moving socíety of ours. Then, of
course, there is TV.
"Pipe down" is the expression used
when someone tries to talk during a
program. One might gct to say a few
words during the commcrcíal - unless
it, too, is entertaining.
With school, work, play, TV and
other activities - is it any wonder
members of a fami ly can seldom be
together at the same time -
EXCEPT
FOR MEALS -
ESPECIALLY THE EVE–
NING MEAL?
This is
ll'hy
mealtimc is
SO
important at
your
homc!
lmportance
of
the Evening Mea!
Most parents today are working
feverishly to provide the best for their
children. They want to give them hap–
piness and security. They consequently
spend their time and cnergy in the
acquJsttJOn of material possessions.
Little time or energy is spent to provide
for the family's spiritual and emotional
needs.
In
the average home, fcwer and
fewer meals are eaten together. In many
families certain members eat no break–
fast at al!. In any case, the morning
rush provides little time for fami ly
dining. And lunch is eaten by each
member of the family separately. Dad
eats lunch on the job. The children
eat lunch at school. And Mom perhaps
at home with the babies or at work.
Breakfast and lunch provide little, if
aoy, family fellowship. Usually there is
on ly one time during thc day when the
entire family can be togcther. This is
the
et•ening mea/.
And mealtime ought
to be family time. But what do we see?
A trend toward the no-cook-eat-in-
Tbe
PLAIN TRUTH
front-of-the-TV idea. In every city, main
boulevards are ablaze with signs beck–
oning the customer to stop in and carry
out a quick, already preparcd TV mea!.
Our whole society seems gcared to the
cat-on-the-run syndrome. Snack shops,
sandwich stands, drive-in restaurants
have greatly proliferated. A trend is
evolving in our society where people are
just growing up without any importance
placed on family dinner.
Yet in many countries and among cer–
tain ethnic groups it is conside red
es.ren–
lial
that aU the family be seated at thc
dinner table together. Herc a mea! rep–
resents far more than just food and
nutrition to the body. It is a time for
family communion - fellowship, con–
vcrsation and enjoyment.
Is it this way in your home? Do you
have each and every member of your
family gathered together at mealt ime?
This is such a simple task, but one of
great importance. Why pass up the
opportunity to gather your entire family
- the most beloved people to you -
around you in an atmosphere of love?
The sharing of food has always con–
noted the sharing of !ove. A pleasant
dinner has always been thc highlight of
a special date. A banquet is given in
the festive atmosphere of a wedding.
Sharing food together is a sure way to
increase the bonds between people.
Psychologists have found that the
old adage is true, "The way to a man's
heart is through his stomach." People
are more receptive, more amiable over a
plcasant mea!.
Even in the Bible the sharing of food
is considcred the pinnacle of intimate
fcllowship. Before his crucifixion, Jesus
gathered his disciples around him for
the "last supper." He said, "With
desirc I have dcsired to eat this passover
with you before
1
suffer" (Lukc
22: 15).
The Atmosphere
W hat is the atmosphere arouod the
dinner table in
yo11r
home? Is it
pleasant?
In too many cases it is not.
1t
is accompanied by problems, harsh
talk, arguments, unpleasant subjccts,
bad manners, gossip, and parent-child
oppositions.
In many households, especially in
J une-July, 1970
America, meals are an unpleasant expe–
rience. T hey are served with the tele–
vision blaring, children fussing - a
disturbing, unsettled atmosphere.
Dining is becoming a lost art. The
many benefits that should be derived
from pleasant, happy family meals are
too oftcn missing. Many families eat
on thc run.
1t
is not unusual for the
dining table to be turned into a cafe–
tería as members of the family eat on a
come-and-go basis.
In a growing number of cases, argu–
ments are precipitated by one member
or another. This has a great unsettling
effect and is not only damaging psy–
chologically but is also physically abu–
sive to the body. The digestive tract is
drrectly affected by the emotions.
An
emotional upset nullifies the appetite. In
times of stress one seldom thinks of
food.
When the atmosphere is pleasant and
food is being enjoyed, there is also an
increase in the secretion of saliva and of
digestivc juices in the stomach. Both of
these effects promete better digestion of
the food eaten.
If
arguments occur or tempers fiare at
mealtime, digestion is impaired. Food
taken into the body at these times finds
its way into the intestinal tract without
proper digestion. Here the food putri–
fies, contributing to gas and various
toxins rather than good nutrition. This
provides a base for many common
illnesscs.
Make Mealtime Profitable
Authorities have long recognized the
importance of mealtime. A noted nutri–
tionist, for example, wrote:
"In the life of a family the potential–
ities of mealtimes are unlimited. Often
they are the only times of the day when
the families are all together. For par–
ents, they are times to
teach good food
habitJ
by practising them as well as
preaching them;
to leam to know the
chflracter and needJ of each chi/d;
to
stimulate interest in learning through a
studied choice of topics for conversation
at the table; and, since mcaltime is a
good time to relate the happenings of
the day and boast of small triumphs, to
give praise for tasks well done.
"Perhaps even more valuable than