Hooga lessons for life: 4 reasons why you shouldn’t skip family dinner
To the extent that I have become familiar and exposed to the lifestyle of Hooga, I have learned valuable life lessons that I will be sharing with you on a monthly basis. This is the first one and I hope you will find it useful.
How many times have you wanted to spend time with your family and have not been able to because of the rush and busyness of everyday life? How many of you actually experience the joy of daily meals with your family? The reality is that all of those who are working parents in one way or another, have been victims of circumstances, but we must not allow this to set our life routine. After hurricane María, we learned to appreciate what we have and to not miss a minute without enjoying our family and giving thanks for what we have. So, after I exposed myself to the Hooga philosophy and its teachings, we have met, with a one hundred percent success rate, the purpose of enjoying dinner together every day. My kids love it and it has helped them, among other things, to try new foods that they wouldn’t have before. But even more, having dinner together has provided us with invaluable benefits. Here are some of these:
You can use this space to disconnect from work and technology.
As part of a routine, we have established that the dinner table is a technology free zone. This rule applies to both children and adults. In addition, we turn off the TV or any other distraction that could interfere with the process of enjoying our meal. We are very strict with this rule. This space allows us to slow down and to reconnect as a family, while we enjoy our time mindfully and to the fullest.
You can set the table as a team.
We teach our children to cooperate at home and engage in the experience of setting the table so that they, too, are committed to partake in the routine. This teaches them about collaboration, teamwork and shared responsibility.
You can teach children table manners.
How often do you see adults who chew with their mouths open, handle utensils incorrectly, or pass food without observing proper etiquette? Certainly, they seem almost like cavemen. The good news is that it is never too early to teach your children proper etiquette. This will serve them well both in their personal as well as in their professional lives. At home, we also use this time to teach our children the basic rules of etiquette without making it a huge fuss. We want our boys to grow up as gentlemen, to listen to one another and to behave properly at the table, so this is an excellent opportunity to teach them.
You can chatter a lot.
Without a doubt, this has been the greatest benefit of all. Beyond using this time to just enjoy our food, we also use this opportunity to discuss how our days went and which were our favorite and worst parts, both at school and at work. On the other hand, this space allows us to plan road trips, activities, or even vacations. In addition, we also talk about concerns or topics of interest that arise in our children. There are so many things to talk about. During dinner, we learn about them and all the things that are happening around our children.
There is no replacement for a family meal. We should not allow work and stress to affect this important moment. After all, we are devoting quality time to our children and teaching them the importance of family. In a world that, through technological advances, has lost sensitivity and human contact, it is good to know that we are doing something different to create citizens who are concerned about sharing and spend time with others. Let’s make dinnertime the most important time of the day.

