Let’s face it, if you are a parent with children, as much as you love them, there are times when you dream about their willful eviction from the premises.
Despite any drawbacks, having your children under your roof has a significant benefit: the chance to model goodwill and enforce your established rules consistently. This is the silver lining to the situation.
Without law, life becomes chaos. Within the individual, your law is expressed through your values. For example, if you believe that life begins at conception and you are not the authority to determine whether a fetus should live or die, you renounce abortion. However, if you believe in “individual expression,” as in “my body, my choice,” you become the ruler over what lives and what dies. Both individuals believe in law and order, but one is grounded in God’s authority, while the other is in self-rule.
We all have free will.
As a parent responsible for shaping your children, you set household rules. You likely have many, covering topics such as cleaning, music volume, and access to the family car. However, there’s one rule I believe is fundamental—one that I don’t think parents consider or enforce enough.
Sharing one daily meal is a cornerstone of family unity, providing a predictable anchor for connection. Like John and Julie Gottman’s “daily deposits of love” strengthen a marriage, this routine strengthens the family bond. In my work in marriage and family counselling, I see again and again that this rhythm grounds the home. More than nutrition, this shared meal is a vital communication hub. It is where parents model healthy communication, actively listen to their children, and pass down values. It is a screen-free space for siblings to connect. These consistent deposits of quality, undivided time build an emotional reserve, helping the family navigate conflicts. Prioritizing this daily ritual is a continuous investment in the family’s collective well-being, turning dining into an act of love and commitment.
This emphasis on anchoring rituals is deeply connected to Catholic family life and the preservation of family values, principles that shape both our homes and our culture.
This post marks a very special day. It falls on the day after the 25th anniversary of our first child’s birth, who was born on November 25, 2000. She celebrated her 25th birthday yesterday, November 25, 2025. That milestone also means we have shared 25 years of daily meals around the same table, learning, laughing, praying, and growing.
Sharing meals enables the family, as a unified group, to:
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Openly give thanks and show gratitude that food is available to eat.
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Commune openly with one another and share the day’s experiences.
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Offer support to one another if necessary.
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Laugh and relax, letting the burdens of the workday melt away.
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Discuss important world topics to ease anxieties.
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Teach children how to listen more than speak.
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Remind children of proper dinner etiquette, manners, and expectations.
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Model the virtue of sharing through something as simple as passing a dish.
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Honour the cook whose labour is an offering of love.
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Instill consistency in a world that often feels less than peaceful.
In family values counselling, I often encourage parents to start by looking at this consistency before tackling more complex behavioural or relational concerns.
If you haven’t been prioritizing having at least one meal together as a family each day, start implementing it now. Let your love for your children be passed on generationally—to their families, and the families that come after them. Laying this foundation is one of the simplest and most beautiful ways to practise parenting with faith and values.