The casual family dinner has been taken off the menu for many families in Marlow and throughout America.

In an effort to change this, Family, Career, Leaders of America, or FCCLA, is trying to add this custom back into the everyday lifestyle of Americans.

“We are challenging the school and the community to sit down at least two times a week and eat a meal with the family,” FFA adviser Tamra Huddleston said.

“Children from families who eat together on a regular basis are more likely to have family support, positive peer influences and positive adult role models.”

—Teen Times

A survey was given to 110 Marlow High School students. Out of those surveyed, only 18.2 percent said they eat a meal at the table with their family every night, and 43.6 percent said they eat with their family at least twice a week.

“We are very close, so we sit together and eat as often as possible,” senior Rachel Sheppard said. “We eat together almost every night.”

From the survey, 35 percent of the 110 students said they rarely eat together because life seems to get in the way.

“When I am at work, my mom is at home and when I am at home, my mom is at work,” said senior Audrey Solomon. “It’s hard to find the time to sit down and eat together.”

Some students said their family does not even own a kitchen table, but that they instead settle for a family huddle around the television.

In many instances, Americans have strayed from the usual family get-togethers of family bonding and communication, and have turned to the twenty-first century trap of TV, phones and social media.

On the local, state, and national levels, FCCLA launched the campaign to put this to an end.

“We definitely ask for you to turn off the TV, the laptop, and your phone when you sit down for your family dinners and just share conversation with your family,” Huddleston said.

Huddleston is also daring her Family and Consumer Science classes to get on top of this challenge. The students are encouraged to not only participate in prompting the family meal, but to also prepare and plan one of the family meals and to promote conversation.

“In reality, it’s building stronger families one meal at a time,” Huddleston said.

For more information, go to FCCLAatthetable.org for easy meal ideas, conversation starters, and ways to make eating together fun and memorable.

Allie Custer

MHS exPRESS writer