Nowadays, it is common to see that many families gathering together to eat meals is slowly vanishing. There are numerous reasons that lead to this situation and the impacts of it. In this essay, I will discuss my own perspective along with the reasons, impacts, and examples.
The primary reason is that due to the general increase in the cost of living, it forces every household to work twice as much as before in order to make ends meet. It leads to hectic schedules, busy workdays, and extreme workloads, which brings this tradition to disappear. Another reason is that children who turned 18 tend to move out in order to start their own life. As a result of this, traditional family meals only happen on special days such as Christmas or Thanksgiving.
There are numerous impacts as an outcome in beneficial ways and negative effects. It enhances mental well-being by decreasing the risk of depression, increasing self-esteem, and increasing a greater sense of resilience, particularly in children and adolescents. Another advantage is that it improves nutrition and health. For instance, children and adults who eat together regularly tend to consume more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and fewer unhealthy snacks, fast foods, and sugary drinks.On the other hand, it sometimes leads to internal conflict by raising disagreements over food choices, especially with fussy eaters and picky eaters. The major impact is that benefits are diminished if family members are distracted by smartphones, television, or other devices during the meal.
In conclusion, it is more important to strengthen the family bonds and spend time with loved ones even on a busy day. In my opinion, the traditional family meals do not necessarily need to be done every day; however, they serve as small gatherings to bring each of the family members together, which is why they are special.