Busy, busy, busy time of the year for families

Fair time is nearly past with the waning days of the Indiana State Fair and another 4-H season nears a close.

Yet the season not to be confused with the Magician in "Frosty the Snowman" seems busier than ever. School has started, there is homework, sports practices, academic bowls, extracurricular activities, PTO meetings and the list goes on. Often one parent takes a kid one direction while another parent goes the other direction with a kid. When there are three or more kiddos or a single parent ... Oh my, how is this going to work?!?

Quite simply it is easy to overlook family time together and become caught up in the busyness of life. Until 2003, Americans had largely continued a decline of eating a meal together and any sort of a regular basis. Research and news reporting concern of this lack of family time has reversed this trend.

A key is to have a plan and strategy to make family time a priority. The following from a Rutgers University Extension publication summarize key factors to consider in improving family time:

Miriam Weinstein, author of "The Surprising Power of Family Meals," reflects that "family supper is important because it gives children reliable access to their parents. It provides anchoring for everyone's day. It emphasizes the importance of the family." The family meal is one way in which a family provides stability and support to its members.

A family dinner combines two basic needs: Nourishment and connection.

Shared family meals are more likely to be nutritious, and kids who eat regularly with their families are less likely to snack on unhealthy foods and more likely to eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains.

If food preparation is the issue, many restaurants have carryout or the local delis provide options to take food home or to a picnic or park site to eat. Often taking food home or to a park location can be more economical when just purchasing the main entrée prepared and taking drinks or sides otherwise from the grocery.

Many American families have come to realize the importance of the family meal in creating a family bond, as well as providing life skills, such as good manners and mealtime socialization.

Kathleen Morgan, who chairs Rutgers Family and Community Health Sciences, says having healthful meals during the transition from early to middle adolescence impacts the development of health eating behaviors for youths. Morgan claims that the period from 12 years to the late teens is "one of the most dynamic development periods in a person's lifetime, and habits established in this time frame are more likely to last."

A study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University showed that teens who take part in regular family meals are less likely to smoke, drink alcohol, or use marijuana and other drugs.

Studies have also shown that children and teenagers tend to have better grades when their families have dinners together at least five times a week. The Columbia University study showed that frequent family dinners were associated with better school performance, with teens 40 percent more likely to get As and Bs.

Some parents say they do try to have family dinners but between their schedule and the kids, they find it very difficult to organize. If the evening meal is difficult, Morgan suggests, try for other mealtimes, like breakfast, or share an evening meal out "together." Or, have meals on the weekends, go for a picnic, or go out for breakfast. Another option is to try cooking a few extra meals on the weekend and freeze them for during the week.

Children who grow up with a strong sense of family connections and family rituals are likely to become solid, healthy adults. The "real" value to sharing meals together cannot be overstated.

Don't let busy-ness starve your family of family meal time and learning of child development issues. Make a plan and start with discussions at meal time rather than turning on the TV or reaching for the hand held devices. Family time at meal time, quiet or prayer time at bedtime will go a long way for the bond between parent and child. A bond that will bring out the issues of bullying, ostracizing or other issues that could lead to otherwise mental health concerns, drug abuse, or means of inappropriately expressing behavior of acting out to reach out and express concern.

Visit www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local Purdue Extension Office by calling 653-8411 for more information regarding this week's column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee.

Upcoming Events

Through Aug. 23 -- Indiana State Fair.

Aug. 24 -- Start date for Purdue Master Gardener course.

Aug. 24 -- Putnam 4-H Council meeting, Fairgrounds, 6 p.m.

Aug. 24 -- Putnam Fair Board meeting, Fairgrounds, 7:30 p.m.

Aug. 25 -- Pick up Indiana State Fair 4-H projects returned to Extension Office.

Aug. 26 -- Women Walk Putnam County second annual luncheon.

Aug. 27 -- IEHA Spring District Meeting -- Sullivan County.

Aug. 28 -- My Record of Achievement forms due.

Aug. 28 -- Junior Leader 4-H manuals due to Extension Office.

Aug. 29 -- Purdue Extension and Girl Scouts of America Color Splash, 9 a.m.

Sept. 3 -- Putnam County Fair and 4-H Club Association Board annual meeting.