Studies find kids are more likely to stay out of trouble when they sit down to a nightly dinner with their parents. Kent Bailey, a leader of the Power Up Youth Coalition in Webster City, is urging families across Iowa to share their evening meals together next Monday, as part of National Family Day.
“The more that children and teenagers eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink and use illegal drugs and it’s just that simple,” Bailey says. “We are encouraging families to come together and have a meal together.” Between sports, academics and our jobs, Bailey acknowledges it can be a challenge to get the whole family to the table at dinnertime.
“It’s tough,” Bailey says. “We’re a fast-paced society and kids are out doing activities, parents are out doing activities and work and it’s hard to come together but we hope that everybody will make an extra effort to come together and eat on Monday evening.” The Webster City group got an anonymous donation to help promote the effort throughout Hamilton County.
The organization will donate $1,000 for after-school programming to the county school building with the highest percentage of households taking a pledge to have at least four family meals together every week for three months. For more information, visit “www.casafamilyday.org“.
Contributed by Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City