Have you ever noticed how families on TV always find time to eat meals together? In reality, people today are     than ever before and getting the whole family together for an evening meal is often      , as all members of the family have their own activities to get on with. For most of us, sitting down together at the      table is a thing of the past, but what effect does this have on family members and the relationships between them?
One of the most important      of eating together as a family is that the family has a chance to communicate      with one another in a social environment. Many families      that the evening meal is the best time to discuss problems and share experiences. “Eating together makes us feel      , and we often have our most useful conversations at these times,” says Jane Digby, mother of three. So, although organizing a family meal everyday can be a(n)      , it can benefit family relationships.
In addition, family meals help to improve children’s      skills. They learn how to talk, how to listen and how to show consideration for other      in the conversation. Furthermore, eating together gives      a sense of security. Family psychotherapist (心理治疗专家) Sue Taylor believes that children who eat with their      are far more confident as well as much more faithful to their families than children who don’t.
In spite of the many advantages of eating together, the      of modern life make it almost impossible for many people to do so. However, Sue Taylor insists that we should try to make      for family meals. “Mealtimes are the most valuable time a family can spend together,” she says. “If you can’t eat together every day, why not      and eat together three or four times a week? It really is worth the effort.”

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