Yorktown Patch–
Yorktown’s Alliance for Safe Kids (ASK), the non profit organization, has a weekly public access TV show, “ASK Around Yorktown,” which features local resources and organization that support the youth and families. As part of this show, organizers are launching a new segment called “At Home”
“ASK will be featuring a Yorktown family each month to highlight the importance of family time at dinner,” said Lisa Tomeny, executive director of the organization.
The organization is inviting families to be part of the TV show, which will be filmed at each family’s home to show them preparing dinner and interacting around the dinner table.
“These days it’s so hard with extracurricular activities to sit down together,” said Tomeny, who has four children of her own. “Part of the message is we want to encourage families in these busy times to make an effort because our kids benefit from it.”
ASK provided the following about the importance of family members having dinner together:
Whether it’s hectic work schedules, kids’ activities or homework, many families struggle these days to find time when they can all be together. Dinner together as a family is time well-spent for many reasons:
- Eating altogether encourages communication and strengthens family bonds. Slowing down and sharing a meal gives everyone a chance to catch up with the day’s events. You get to find out just how each family member is doing. Call it a daily family check-up.
- Studies have shown that children who eat regularly with their parents are 40 percent more likely to earn higher grades in school than children who have less frequent family meals per week, according to a 10-year study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
- CASA studies have consistently found that children who frequently have meals with their families are less likely to participate in activities in which drugs, alcohol, and tobacco are used.
“Without a doubt, some nights are going to be crazy busy and you each just have to eat when you can,” Tomeny said. “But, whenever possible, take the time to shift things around to make time for a family meal.”
Alliance for Sake Kids has featured members of the Yorktown Police Department and the D.A.R.E program on their show, as well as high school students from Students Against Drunk Driving, Yorktown youth court members, organizers of Relay for Life in Yorktown, and student resource officers.
If any Yorktown family is interested in being featured to help inspire other families, email info@allianceforsafekids.org.
The current program “Ask Around Yorktown” airs on Thursdays at 7 p.m. on Cablevision channel 74.