There are nine of us sitting around this perfectly sculpted, honey-brown rectangular piece of wood. A dish of chicken parm rests on the rainbow potholders I made in fourth grade, ready to burn my mouth but taste like a hug. 

Family dinners occur every other Sunday at Gramma’s house. Starting when I was only crawling, and still occurring today, Sunday dinners are a time designated to being a family. We have cried, reminisced, and created new inside jokes we would make at the next Sunday dinner. 

I am lucky (most of the time) to be able to experience these moments with my family. But, knowing that not many kids will have the same memories as I did makes me quite upset. In fact, it makes me more upset knowing that a study done by YouGov shows a thirty-three percent decline in family dinners in the past 20 years. With that, sixty-four percent of parents with kids regret not eating together more often.

It's crazy how over the almost eighteen years I have been alive, millions of memories can be made in just a room with a table and chairs. Just five years ago, my cousin Jack and I would secretly pass our phones back and forth under the table to show each other funny memes. Now, we are talking about going off to college and future plans. Sean and Andrew grew up at that table, too. They used to babble about Tonka trucks and LEGOs, only now to talk about high school girl drama and video games. It’s crazy how we all grew up around that table, and as we enter new chapters of life, we continue to grow. 

When families-including mine-eat together, we are blind to the benefits that come as a side dish to this main course. For example, it improves communication. Believe me, come Easter, my family needs a perfectly crafted and formulated plan or you'll end up with ham jerky and pureed carrots - that's a story for another time. 

Additionally, family dinners are like a free therapy session. Not only can you completely unload on life, together we create a bond and trust that will flourish in the coming years. Being able to express your true feelings is a skill unfortunately not many are capable of, so having the ability to dispose of all your worries into Gramma’s green napkins is quite a stress reliever. Believe me, without those napkins I would probably be able to handle half of the challenges life throws my way.

Being able to build trust and communication with one another is so important for not only us as kids growing up and witnessing these interactions, but important in setting the foundation for when we become adults. Personally, I have seen how adults should and shouldn’t talk to each other. I know how to create an argument, as well as diffuse one. I’ve learned many other vital life skills that will ultimately help me be a better person now, and in the future.

As I prepare to head off to Virginia for college, these family dinners will be something that I will miss… please don’t let them know I said that. Eating Gramma’s chicken parm made with love and lots of mozzarella cheese has taught me to become the person I am, and the person I want to be in the future. 

While I’m gone, I hope my family will continue to share meals together, and not miss me too much. Although, they may enjoy the quiet… or not. Even more, however, I hope that more families will feel inspired to gather ‘round an old piece of wood and create similar memories with each other- hopefully ones that don’t include getting hit in the forehead with a spatula. Thanks Uncle John, I appreciate it. 

Works Cited

Braider, Jessica. “Family Dinner Statistics.” The Scramble, 30 July 2021, thescramble.com/family-dinner/family-dinner-statistics/. Accessed 18 April 2022.

Jackson, Erica. “7 Unexpected Benefits of Eating Together as a Family, According to Science.” Parents, 16 September 2021, parents.com/recipes/tips/unexpected-benefits-of-eating-together-as-a-family-according-to-science/. Accessed 18 April 2022.