WELCOME BACK.
IN A FAST PACED AND
DIGITAL WORLD IT CAN BE
TIME WITH DINNER, THE
ENTIRE FAMILY AT YOUR
TABLE BUT EXPERTS SAY
YOUR OHANA MISSES OUT ON
SOME QUALITY BONDING IF
TO EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS
AND SOME TIPS TO MAKE IT
HAPPEN MORE OFTEN WE'RE
JOINED BY TEED TRITION
DR. THERESA WEE.
GOOD MORNING.
I ALWAYS SPENT EVERY
-SINGLE DINNER WITH MY
FAMILY ALL AROUND THE
TABLE.
THIS IS SOMETHING I GREW
UP DOING AND I LOVE SO
MUCH.
HOW IMPORTANT IS FAMILY
TIME AND FAMILY DINNERS?
SO IMPORTANT.
ALL OF THE STUDIES ARE
SHOWING OVER AND OVER
AGAIN HOW IMPORTANT IT
IS.
EVEN HARVARD UNIVERSITY,
THEY EVEN HAVE A
WEBSITE, THE FAMILY FOOD
PROJECT BUT REALLY IT'S
ABOUT FUN FOOD AND JUST
GETTING TOGETHER IN
CONVERSATION.
OKAY.
SO WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
THAT YOU REALLY CAN TAKE
OR BENEFITS OR REWARDS
WHEN IT COMES TO FAMILY
DINNERS?
JUST SO MANY.
YOU JUST -- THE FAMILY
STRUCTURE IS BONDED.
YOU REALLY DO HEALTHIER
FOOD CHOICES, BETTER
CONTROLLED PORTIONS.
THE NICE BENEFIT FOR
KIDS IS BETTER GRADES,
LESS RISKY BEHAVIOR.
YOU JUST IN GENERAL HAVE
MORE HAPPINESS.
IT ALSO RELIEVES QUITE A
BIT OF STRESS JUST
TALKING ABOUT YOUR DAY.
OKAY.
AND THEN THERE IS
QUALITY TIME TOO, RIGHT.
SO YOU DON'T WANT TO
HAVE THE TV ON.
EXACTLY, NO SCREENS,
NO PHONES.
SO THEY DID A STUDY AND
60% OF AMERICANS ARE NOW
EATING LESS THAN FAMILY
DINNERS THAN THEY DID
BEFORE, SO THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE REALLY
HAVE TO GET BACK TO
DOING.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S
-- I THINK THEY ARE SO
IMPORTANT.
IT'S GOOD QUALITY TIME
WITH YOUR FAMILY.
EVERYONE KNOWS, LET'S BE
HONEST, IT'S TOUGH TO
GET EVERYONE TOGETHER AT
THE DINNER TABLE AT THE
SAME TIME.
FAMILY DINNER TIME AND
MAKING IT HAPPEN?
YOU KNOW, I'M OUT IN
WAIPAHU, AND I KNOW THAT
HARD TO GET THE FAMILY
TOGETHER BUT YOU CAN
ALSO CONSIDER EATING
BREAKFAST TOGETHER.
THERE MUST BE ONE OR TWO
NIGHTS WHEN THE FAMILY
CAN BE TOGETHER, WHEN
THERE IS NO SPORTS OR
OTHER PRACTICES, BUT
ALSO REMEMBER YOU CAN
ALSO DO WEEKEND MEALS
TOGETHER, BREAKFAST,
LUNCH OR DINNER.
I THINK YOU TRY AS MUCH
AS POSSIBLE.
AND WHEN I DO TALK ABOUT
FAMILY, I'M TALKING
ABOUT GRANDPARENTS, CARE
GIVERS.
SO IF THE PARENTS ARE
NOT ONLY, I ENCOURAGE
GRANDPARENTS, AUNTIES,
UNCLES, TURN OFF THE TV.
WHOEVER YOU'RE IN CHARGE
OF WATCHING, GET
TOGETHER AND SIT DOWN.
I LOVE THAT.
AND DO YOU HAVE ANY
TIPS FOR MAKING DINNER
TIME ALSO FAMILY TIME?
YEAH.
I THINK THIS FAMILY
DINNER TIME OR MEAL TIME
IS ONE OF THE BEST TIMES
TO REALLY HAVE THAT
FAMILY CONVERSATION, AND
FOR STARTERS YOU CAN
TALK ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS,
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THE
LOW OR HIGH POINT OF THE
DAY, WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING
FORWARD TO.
I THINK THIS IS REALLY
GOOD FOR PARENTS TO STAY
IN TOUCH AND COMMUNICATE
WITH THE KIDS.
AND WHAT ABOUT MAKING
THINGS HAPPEN?
BECAUSE I KNOW FOR ANY
FAMILY AT LEAST, THE
KIDS HAD TO SET THE
DINNER TABLE.
YES.
MY MOM, NOT THE BEST
COOK -- LOVE YOU, MOM.
DINNER OR ON THE WAY,
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE COMING
HOME, SET THE TABLE.
DO YOU HAVE TIPS LIKE
THAT THAT HELP BRING
EVERYONE TOGETHER?
YEAH.
SOMEONE CAN COOK THE
RICE, SET THE TABLE.
I ENCOURAGE PARENTS,
LOOK AT THE MIDWEEK ADS,
CAN YOU PLAN MENUS, DO
GROCERY LISTS, TEACH
KIDS HOW TO PREP FOODS.
LIKE I SAID, CLEAN UP
TOGETHER WITH MY FOUR
KIDS, THEY WERE ALWAYS
INVOLVED IN THE KITCHEN.
THEY DIDN'T LIKE IT, BUT
NOW MY THREE SONS ARE
GREAT COOKS AS WELL AS
MY DAUGHTER.
THEN YOU'RE TEACHING
THEM EVEN BEFORE DINNER
HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING OR
WHETHER IT'S CLEANUP
TIME, THEN PARENTS, YOU
DON'T HAVE TO WORRY
ABOUT DOING IT SO MUCH
BECAUSE THE KIDS ARE
HELPING OUT.
I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT, THEY ARE A
MEMBER OF THE FAMILY SO
THEY HAVE TO CONTRIBUTE.