Nearly half of the teens who responded said
that the dinner table is the best time to talk to their parents. Additionally, more than half of
the teens who enjoy frequent family dinners say they receive anti-drug messages from their parents.

"We know from decades of research that parental involvement at home is critical to
children's school and life success," explains Dr. Holly Kreider, a senior research associate with
Sociometrics Corporation. "The dinner table can provide an ideal opportunity for parents to inquire
about their children's school day and create a positive, warm connection with them."

But
taking the time to prepare and eat a meal -; among jobs, school, clubs and sports -; can seem
daunting. So, how can families increase their time at the dinner table?

Boys & Girls
Clubs of America (BGCA) has cooked up a solution with "Just Add Family: Delicious Recipes for the
Entire Family." This cookbook is a compilation of club member family recipes and includes the
following tips to help families spend quality time at the dinner table:

- Ask your teens
about their classes, homework, teachers and upcoming assignments. Find out if they would like your
help or want to brainstorm on an assignment.

- Ask everyone to contribute stories and share
their favorite part or biggest challenge of the day.

- Plan and allow all family members to
contribute to the next day's menu, preparation and cleanup.

- Discuss an activity the family
can do together, and set a date for it.

- Talk with your children about a book they read or
a movie they have seen. It might turn into a family book club or a movie night.

Dr. Kreider
emphasizes that the way dinnertime is spent may be as important as how often family dinners occur.
To learn more about BGCA's Family PLUS initiative and download Just Add Family, visit
familyplus.bgca.org.