In watching the 1950’s video A Date with the Family, there are many aspects of the “perfect” family dinner that should be noted, but rarely practiced today. The following are some suggestions presented for a pleasant family dinner:
- Wash your hands and face before dinner
- Daughter helps mother with dinner table settings
- Older son helps seat younger son and mother at the table
- Napkins on lap, grace is said, and mother eats first
- Everyone compliments the cooking
- Cordial and pleasant conversations are spoken during dinner
Whether it’s 1950 or 2017, I wonder if anyone objects to any of the listed suggestions in today’s family dinner tables? In my view, they all seem to be positive and healthy for any family that respects each other…and this is where the buck stops in 2017. Families aren’t participating in dining together due to many circumstances, both parents working, children working or out doing their own activities, distractions with television, cell phones, internet, and many other reasons. But the one common theme I find to be attracted and should be timeless from the video is, respect. Unfortunately, respect within relationships, spouses, siblings, and family is a trend that continues to decline in American society and I believe a factor that contributes to the outdated practice of a family dinner as presented in the video.
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