That’s a true saying.

Here’s another true saying to think about: “The family that eats together and communicates, raises well-adjusted children”.

When the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre conducted a study of 500 teenagers, here is what they discovered: Children whose parents ate dinner with them five times a week or more were the least likely to be on drugs.

The children whose parents regularly ate dinner with them were also the least likely to be depressed or to be in trouble with the law.

They were also the children who were more likely to do well at school, and to be surrounded by a supportive circle of friends

Even when family members met together to eat at a fast-food restaurant, the study found the same positive results.

By contrast, more poorly adjusted teens ate with their parents only three times a week or less.

What do these findings mean?

1. Everybody needs to make time to be involved with their children on a daily basis, especially during their vitally important formative years.

2. When you give your children things and material items, you give them short-term pleasure and excitement, but when you give them time, you give them self-worth.

That means they feel valued and that they are important to you.

Giving your children your time may call for fewer working hours or eliminating certain activities, but it is an investment you will never regret.

The Bible tells us the story of a man call Job. Job was one of the wealthiest men of his generation.

Then tragedy struck and all 10 of his children died in a single day.

After this, Job looked back on his life and wrote: “The almighty was still with me, when my children were around me.”

Think about the story of Job and you may need to ask yourself: “Am I spending enough time with my family?”

If you don’t like the answer you come up with, it is time to start changing things.

Neville Mammen

From Turning Point Christian Outreach Centre. Crossroads is a column written by church leaders on behalf of the Gunnedah Ministers’ Fraternal.