Writer Christina explains why it’s important to give time to your family.

Writer Christina Wright says – No matter how fast the world moves, the thread of family keeps them firmly connected. – symbolic photo

At seven in the evening, the dining table at writer Christina Wright’s house turns into a small stage. The aroma of cheese is spreading throughout the house. The elder son looks at the clock as he prepares to meet his friends, while the younger son returns tired from playing. Father closes the laptop after the meeting and Christina arranges the plates.

This scene is not of any special day, but of everyday life – where people running in four directions stop together at the dinner table. Well-known writer Christina says, ‘This tradition started when the children were small. Then the couple changed the schedule to feed them on time. At that time it was just a convenience, but gradually this habit became the strongest bond connecting the family.

Now that children are in their teens, ‘family time’ doesn’t come automatically amidst their schedules and commitments. Christina believes that now she has to steal this time. Sometimes till 6 pm, sometimes till 8 pm… The time of dinner may change, but the rule remains the same – we will eat together. During this period the ‘no-phone policy’ remains in force.

Conversations can be difficult at first, with teenagers often responding to lengthy questions from parents with ‘yes’, ‘yeah’ or ‘okay’ answers, but Christina says there is a solace in these quiet nights. But gradually, while passing broccoli or putting utensils in the sink, children’s deep conversations come to the fore. These small moments bring the family closer and relieve the burden.

Christina knows that after college this tradition will become limited to the holidays. But today, as long as all four of them are under one roof, the dinner table is their ‘reset button’. After the whole day’s hustle and stress, this half hour reminds them that no matter how fast the world moves, the bond of family keeps them firmly connected.

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