4.10.2013

April 10, 2013


White Dog and The White Dog Army
Wonderful World Wednesday


White Dog and the rest of the White Dog Army have been very focused on eating and mealtimes for the past couple of weeks. A critical measure of Nuka’s recovery from a severe bout of pancreatitis is her return to normal eating and drinking. While we are still not quite there, Another White Dog appears to FINALLY be at a point where she has a growing appetite and a desire for a normal eating routine. Today we all cheered as she ate both breakfast and dinner (only a slightly modified version of the regular menu), as well as mid day treats…and drank lots of water.

But the WDA knows that mealtime is important for another reason…the reason that we insist (except on Steve’s late nights) on eating each evening meal as a family…mealtimes are bonding times. We believe that over the course of dining that all the members of the family get a chance to be heard and connect.  Michael joins us, too, even though he now prepares his own meal. It is a time of sharing and is a vital reaffirmation that each of us has a voice and value in this pack. Dinner is the period each day when we are all joined together and feel the strength of our unity. It is a reminder of how much we have for which to be thankful and of just how wonderful the world truly is.

And now we find that family dinner time makes us healthier and happier as well.  Imagine a world where families around the globe sit down together every evening and increase their happiness just by having supper…wonderful, right?

By Good News Network Tuesday, April 09, 2013

Regular family suppers contribute to good mental health in adolescents, according to a study co-authored by McGill University professor Frank Elgar. Despite the fact that teens may squirm under the barrage of parental questioning, there are benefits to these family meals -- regardless of whether or not they can easily talk to their parents.

“More frequent family dinners related to fewer emotional and behavioral problems, greater emotional well-being, more trusting and helpful behaviors towards others and higher life satisfaction,” says Elgar, an associate professor in the Faculty of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry, whose research centers on social inequalities in health and family influences on child mental health.

Using a national sample of 26,069 adolescents aged 11 to 15 years, the study examined the relation between frequency of family dinners and positive and negative aspects of mental health. The researchers found the same positive effects of family meal time on the mental health of the young subjects, regardless of gender, age or family affluence.

“We were surprised to find such consistent effects on every outcome we studied,” says Elgar. “From having no dinners together to eating together 7 nights a week, each additional dinner related to significantly better mental health.”

During the study, the adolescents submitted data on the weekly frequency of family dinners, ease of parent-adolescent communication and five dimensions of mental health, including internalizing and externalizing problems, emotional well-being, more helpful behaviors and life satisfaction.

The authors suggest that family mealtimes are opportunities for open family interactions which present teaching opportunities for parents to shape coping and positive health behaviors such as good nutritional choices, as well as enable adolescents to express concerns and feel valued, all elements that are conducive to good mental health in adolescents.

The results of this research are published in the Journal of Adolescent Health. The Canadian Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children study was part of a World Health Organization collaboration of 43 countries and was funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

8 comments:

bichonpawz said...

We totally agree! Family dinners are a MUST! That is what is missing in so many homes these days! Hope everyone is feeling better! Xoxo Chloe and LadyBug

Angels Amber and Max DaWeenie and Mom said...

Wouldn't it be great if all families could get together for at least one meal. But you just don't see that happen very often in this day and age. Everyone seems to always be in a hurry for one thing or another.

Glad to hear that Nuka is getting better day by day.

Angel Ginger Jasper said...

Yes a must I think too. Time to see what's happened in each others day and to just love being together. So glad to hear that Nuka is improving.. Hugs GJ xx

Jo's World said...

So very happy to hear that Nuka is doing so much better. We agree on the family meals and so does Stella. Her first meal here, was left in the kitchen for her to eat, and I took mine to the livingroom to watch the news. The next thing I knew I looked down and there she was, next to me, with her bowl of food, chomping away! So sweet, what could I say?

Cheers,

Jo, Stella and Zkhat

Brian's Home Blog said...

Keep doing good aweet Nuka! Yep, family meals and family time is the best!

meowmeowmans said...

We sure hope you keep making that good progress, sweet Nuka.

We agree, mealtimes are such a great time to catch up and reconnect each day. :)

Hugs!

Wyatt said...

Back to the dinner table for all. We agree and we are there with our plates in our hands and paws!

Wyatt and Family

KB said...

I'm so happy to hear the good news about Nuka. I'm glad that everyone is eating well and happy.

My family always had dinner together - I remember the nightly "May I please be excused?" as a teenager. I'm sure that it was good for me but I wasn't always enthusiastic! We always have dinner together now.