Why kitchen table should be the centre of family life
For many modern families, eating meals together has become a distant memory, according to a survey out this week.
However, the survey found that a whole host of other activities are now carried out in the kitchen, from homework to gaming.
Of the 1,000 people surveyed, only 15 per cent said they had time for breakfast in the kitchen, while 29 per cent of families had an evening meal together. In contrast, 89 per cent said they use it for other reasons than mealtimes. This is in contrast to the 1940s, '50s, and '60s when the kitchen was purely used a food preparation, storage and washing area.
According to the survey commissioned by Dewsbury's Rixonway Kitchens, we spend more time than ever before in the kitchen, just not together. Only one in three UK households eats dinner together every evening, while two thirds of families spend less than 10 hours together each week.
Marketing manager Sonya Bateman, said: "It is clear that, at the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the kitchen has grown in importance to families.
"Busy, more active lives dictate that it is no longer merely a cooking space, but an invaluable centre of recreation, communication and occupation."
Now the company is launching its Round the Kitchen Table campaign which aims to get families to spend more time together.
Round the Kitchen Table's family focus seeks to improve the quality of life in homes and communities via simple steps. The project is part of a wider analysis of contemporary social trends and attitudes. Taking the form of regular surveys, consultations, reports, events and sponsored community outreach projects, it is intended to inform policy makers.
"With parents running around frantically these days, completing errands, working all hours of the day and chasing after kids, it is easy to forget those precious moments spent together as a family," says Sonya.
"There are simple ways to do this. For example, when preparing food, make sure you involve children or your partner – either with the task itself or just talking to them about their day. The kitchen table is also the ideal place to help the kids with their homework, play games and every manner of creative activity.
"Obviously, with everyone eating there too, the strength of the family unit will be reinforced. This is definitely not a plan for the mum, dad and two kids model; it can work for any domestic pattern."
As it rolls out, the campaign will include road shows and awareness events, aimed at encouraging people to make more time for those closest to them. Results of the campaign's findings will be then passed on to local and national government, charities and academics in a bid to get families to spend more time together.
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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