Ten Benefits of Frequent Family Dinners
The more often children and teens eat dinner with their families, the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use drugs. Compared to kids who have fewer than three family dinners per week, children and teens who have frequent family dinners are:
1. At 70 percent lower risk for substance abuse
2. Half as likely to try cigarettes
3. Half as likely to be daily cigarette smokers
4. Half as likely to try marijuana
5. One third less likely to try alcohol
6. Half as likely to get drunk monthly
7. Likelier to get better grades in school
8. Less likely to have friends who drink alcohol and use marijuana
9. Likelier to have parents who take responsibility for teen drug use
10. Almost 40 percent likelier to say future drug use will never happen
Percent Teens Who Have Tried Cigarettes, Alcohol, Marijuana | ||
5 to 7 dinners per week |
0 to 2 dinners per week | |
|
Cigarettes |
13 |
29 |
|
Alcohol |
32 |
48 |
|
Marijuana |
12 |
25 |
