Mealtimes Boost Family Talk

Eating together is an ideal time to encourage family talk, says Tom Lee, Utah State University professor of family and human development. Mealtimes provide a relaxed setting in which news, ideas and opinions can be shared. Lee says parents should resist the urge to lecture or scold at the table. “If you really want to hear what your kids think, you have to be prepared to hear things you don’t like,” he says.