Family is Everything

Hello dear reader,

It’s so wonderful to be speaking with you again. This letter today is about one of the
fundamental motivations behind Azoki: family. Azoki exists because Lana and I both love our
kids, because we’re trying to create a world that’s a little easier for them to live in, that’s a little
gentler, kinder, and healthier. I’m sure if you’re raising a family now, you know exactly what I
mean when I say that family is everything. For us parents, the family becomes the very reason
for being. It’s what gets us up every morning and what has us working so hard to provide. We
want the best for our family; it’s just about love.

And if we want the best, we have to want family dinners. We all know how important family
dinners are. They are the stuff of legend; they are an essential aspect of family life. They‘re the
time when families come together to share food, swap stories, and transmit the culture and
history of our ancestors. Sadly, in recent years, this tradition of family dinners has begun to fade.
The business of everyday life has made it so hard to make room for anything outside the normal
workaday routine - even this most precious moment. When do we find the time for the planning
and the shopping, let alone for the cooking itself?! Too often, we opt for fast food or takeout,
with the family eating individually or in stages, the kids earlier, and the parents later in the
evening. But over the past thirty years, research has shown us again and again that family
dinners have an enormous impact on our children, dramatically influencing how healthfully, how
confidently, and how capably they grow. It’s quite clear that they are a vital part of a child's
development.

Clearly one reason why family dinners are important is because they are an essential way to
transmit social norms and rules. They are a time when kids are introduced to table manners and
social skills. They learn basic etiquette: how to use utensils, pass dishes, and serve themselves.
As they grow, children also learn how to engage in conversation, first observing the conversation
of adults, and then joining in themselves, slowly learning the back and forth of conversation,
how to listen to others, how to draw reluctant contributors in, and how to politely shut down
those who might be a bit long-winded. This socialization is essential for all of us. :-)
Family dinners also seem to have a positive impact on children's academic performance. Studies
have shown that children who regularly eat dinner with their families perform better in school,
have higher grades, and are more likely to graduate from high school. The impact seems to flow
simply from the transmission of family priorities. Family dinners provide an opportunity for
parents to express their belief in the importance of schoolwork and to become involved in their
children's education, providing encouragement, support, and oversight.

No less significantly, family dinners can also provide valuable emotional support for our
children. Sitting down to a meal together provides a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for
children to talk to their parents about their day and a venue in which to express their emotions,
their fears, and their worries. Children who regularly eat dinner with their families are less likely
to develop behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
Yet another tremendously important benefit of family dinners is that they help children develop
healthy eating habits. When children eat dinner with their families, they are more likely to
consume a diet that is high in fruits and vegetables and low in unhealthy fats and processed
foods. Studies have shown that children who regularly eat dinner with their families are less
likely to be overweight, and have a lower risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes,
heart disease, and cancer.

In addition to promoting healthy eating habits and socialization, family dinners can also foster a
sense of belonging and identity. Children who regularly eat dinner with their families feel more
connected to their family members, and are more likely to feel a sense that they have a right to
belong, not just in their family but in the world at large. This is not something trivial. A true
sense of belonging is empowering. It can divert the raging young teen from anger to activism,
from mischief to mission. A sense of belonging can foster a sense of purpose and devotion to a
calling. It’s the fuel that drives positive change in the world. Heaven knows, we need more of
that.

But again, while the benefits of family dinners for children are clear, many families struggle to
make them happen. Busy schedules, work commitments, and after-school activities can all make
it difficult for families to have dinner together. This is something we at Azoki would like to help change. We are sure there are ways to overcome these challenges and to make family dinners a
rewarding priority.

Firstly, we think that it might help if families plan ahead and schedule regular dinners. Perhaps
this means setting aside one or two days each week for family dinners; it doesn’t need to be an
every day thing. Or, perhaps the family can find ways to adjust schedules so that the dance class
or soccer games don’t invade dinner time so often.

Secondly, families can and should (!) involve their children in meal planning and preparation,
which can make dinnertime more enjoyable and much less stressful for parents. If the kids
actually became involved in and adept at cooking dinners, those dinners just might happen more
regularly, and they just might become something that the whole family revels in and applauds.
This will almost definitely help with the whole healthy-eating thing. When kids produce the
final product, they are far more likely to eat it. And, there’s no question that if they cook or at
least participate in the production, they will have an intimately greater understanding of ‘real’
food and will recognize the striking difference between processed v. whole foods. That’s a
fabulous start; it’s all about raising awareness.

And, indeed, that’s what Azoki is committed to doing: raising awareness. We want to help you
find your way towards more home-cooked meals, towards more healthified foods, towards more
sitting around together, laughing, talking, playing, and just being together. It’s so good for us to
be together. Togetherness is deeply and evolutionarily drilled into us. Togetherness is what
gives us humans our strength and our greatness. It’s good for us socially, emotionally,
intellectually, and physically. So, let’s work on this togetherness thing. Let’s love up our
families.