[:en] newsletter november

With Thanksgiving and winter holidays now only weeks away, chances are you’re gearing up for more family time — and more, or bigger, family dinners — than at any other point during the year. While holiday planning can sometimes bring its own special stresses, it’s important not to overlook the main reasons for our gatherings: thankfulness, togetherness, love and connection among them.

If you’re finding yourself worn out physically, emotionally or spiritually, and you could use a little motivation to get you into that grateful frame of mind, check out our favorite resources for this most family-centered time of year.

The rituals involved in family gatherings are important for our health and well-being. How good? Dr. Anne Fishel and three other family therapy experts explain in this Expert Roundtable.

Among the reasons to gather with family at the holiday table are the stories we tell, which have been shown to foster resilience in children, setting them up for better mental health into adulthood. Read two perspectives on the importance of passing our stories down through the generations — and tips for doing that at the table — in Thanksgiving Storytelling and The Food Tells the Story.

Each year, we join #GivingTuesday in proclaiming the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (this year, November 28) an international day of giving! You can use our specialized resources for families to make giving back a central theme of your dinner table on November 28, at Thanksgiving dinner itself, or any day of the year.

Find #GivingTuesday Resources for your Family Dinner Table »

Tension at the table can be a challenge no matter the time of year, but add in the pressure of a big family gathering, and it can really cause dinnertime anxiety. Make sure your holiday gatherings remain respectful — and fun! — with our tips and tools.

Beat Tension and Conflict from the Dinner Table on Thanksgiving, or any day
Be Mindful of the Politics of Thanksgiving
Use our Tip Sheets to Keep Conversation Meaningful
Find Dozens of Conversation Starters, Games, Activities and Printables for the Biggest Holiday Dinner of the Year on our Thanksgiving Page
Above all, keep in mind that holiday gatherings should be fun and memorable, not strained and stressful. Do what you can to slow down and focus on the positives!

Meet the Burroughs family, who have been members of The Family Dinner Project since 2012!

Real Family Dinner Projects: The Burroughs Family »

Food

Bookmark these Thanksgiving leftover ideas for the day after the feast.
Thanksgiving Leftover Recipes »

Fun

fun

Break the ice at big family gatherings with this fun group game!
The Hat Game »

Conversation

conversation

Help others get the conversation started this season — pass on some of our Conversation Shareables!

Conversation Shareables »

[:es] Newsletter October

October is a month of thrills and chills, when people delight in telling their favorite horror stories. While we hope that the family dinner table is a place for enjoying the fun and excitement of storytelling, we also know some families who would say that dinnertime has given them a few scary stories to tell!

Never fear — just as jack-o-lanterns can light up the night and Mom and Dad can check to be sure there are no real monsters under the bed, there are ways to banish the ghosts of family dinners past and make the table a fun, positive place for everyone. Here are our suggestions for tackling the “scary” things that might be keeping you away from the table.

We’ve heard from many people who tell us that they grew up with family dinners that have scared them away from the table as adults. Overbearing grown-ups, angry exchanges and force-feeding are just some of the memories on the list of horror stories we’ve heard.

If you’re in the “bad memories” club, these resources can help you get back to the dinner table for a much better experience with your own family:

Getting off on the Right Foot »
Creating Meaningful Conversation »
Taking the Stress out of Family Dinner (from the Washington Post) »

We’re the first people to say that going overboard on stressing manners at the expense of an enjoyable mealtime is a quick way to ruin family dinner for everyone. But on the other hand, no one can relax when the behavior at the table is truly out of control.

Try these tips to help strike the balance between “Elbows off the table” perfection and “Finger painting on the walls” rebellion:

Answering Real Moms’ Family Dinner Questions »
Make Your Toddler a Cooperative Diner »
The Origins of Manners »

And check out the “Common Challenges” section of our FAQ page for even more advice!

Too many families avoid eating dinner together because they are tired of dealing with a mealtime atmosphere that feels more like punishment than family time. Whether it’s teens who won’t talk, sibling conflicts or conversations that always seem to end in arguments, any constant source of tension at the table is bound to scare people away.

Explore ways to make dinnertime safe and welcoming for the whole family:

How to Beat Tension and Conflict from Your Family Dinner »
Steps to Ease Dinner Stress for Stepfamilies »
Making the Most of Dinner with Adolescents »

Meet the Elder family! Kathy is a teacher who uses her own family dinners as inspiration to help her students and their families.

Real Family Dinner Projects: The Elder Family »