There is no denying in the fact that the custom of family members sharing a meal is declining. This is because of fast-paced lifestyle and use of more technology which can affect on family bonding and interacting skills.
On the one hand, the primary reason in the decline of family meal time is due to fast-paced life and busy schedule. Both the parents are working and children are engaged in extra curricular activity. Therefore, eating together is difficult. For example, many parents return home late from work, while their children have already had dinner due to their schedule, they have little opportunity to eat together. Another reason could be distraction by technology. People prefer eating alone while watching screens.
Additionally, eating alone can have negative effects on family bonding. The gap in family bonding can lead to decrease social skills, communication skills, and disconnection with communities. However, sharing meals help in bonding. For instance, in many household family members eat alone in separate rooms, leading to less conversation and interaction. Moreover, children many not get enough time to share their thoughts and problems with their parents and it leads to poor communication.
In conclusion, hectic schedule and technology distractions are key reason for the fading of family meals, which leads to weaker family bonds and reduced interaction among members.