The Greenfield, MA Recorder Covers Dr. Fishel’s Visit

After Dr. Fishel’s recent lecture to Communities that Care in Franklin County, MA, the local news recapped her visit with an article in the Greenfield Recorder.

As the article relates, “In Franklin County, the most recent annual survey of teens shows that 58 percent of teens report that they have dinner with their families four or more nights a week — and that among those teens, there’s a dramatic correlation with lower use of alcohol, cigarettes and marijuana, a lower risk of depression and stronger connections with parents, along with a higher consumption of fruit.” Building upon that local research and the numerous other studies that have shown the benefits of family dinner for both children and adults, Dr. Fishel gave a talk to school and human services workers who deal directly with families to encourage them to help their clients make dinnertime a priority.

Read the account of Dr. Fishel’s lecture and community dinner in The Greenfield Recorder.

Join Dr. Fishel at Boston Book Festival

On Thursday, October 22, 2015, parents and children ages 3-10 can join Dr. Anne Fishel for a fun interactive workshop at the South End Library, presented in conjunction with The Family Dinner Project as part of the Boston Book Festival.

Dr. Fishel has written extensively about the many benefits of family dinners, including a boost in literacy skills for kids, and how to use dinnertime as a fun opportunity to encourage reading. At this workshop, participants will eat foods from favorite children’s books, have conversations about reading, and have fun telling their own stories.

What’s your favorite food from a book? Green eggs and ham, Strega Nona’s magic noodles, or clam chowder from Moby Dick? Come eat, talk, and explore the many connections between dinner and reading.

4:30 p.m. Thursday, 10/22/15
South End Library, 685 Tremont Street, Boston

Space is limited — please RSVP to paromita@thefamilydinnerproject.org if you wish to attend.

Dr. Fishel Appears on “Mom Enough”

Last week, Dr. Fishel had the pleasure of appearing as a guest on the Mom Enough radio show to weigh in on the importance of family dinners. During the show, entitled “The Why and How of Mealtimes that Build Health and Happiness for You and Your Family,” Dr. Fishel spoke about the many benefits of family meals; how to work around the common challenges that often stand in the way of having regular dinners together; tips for making the family table a more enjoyable place to be; and much more. The Mom Enough hosts were so excited by the interview that they say they’ll be listening to the audio recording at least once a month from now on to remind themselves of the many ways they can transform dinnertime in their own homes!

Find out more about the interview and the Mom Enough radio show, and hear the full audio recording of Dr. Fishel’s appearance, on MomEnough.com.

Join Dr. Fishel and Dr. Greene for a Twitter Chat!

On June 1, 2015, Dr. Anne Fishel will be joining the regular Dr. Greene “Let’s Talk Kids’ Health” Twitter chat to discuss the importance of family dinners. The chat, titled The Power of Family Dinner, will take place at 9 p.m. EST under the hashtag #LTKH.

Dr. Fishel will be lending her expertise to subjects such as:

• The impact of family dinners on teen behavior
• What research shows about the health benefits of family dinners
• How conversation at the dinner table benefits kids

And many other important topics! We hope you’ll join in the chat and invite your friends and family to participate as well.

Dr. Fishel in New York State

Dr. Fishel is excited and pleased to be traveling to New York State in the upcoming week. She’s looking forward to speaking at two events:

• Parenting Lecture Series at the Town School, April 28, 2015. Dr. Fishel will be meeting with parents for an in-depth discussion of the research and best practices covered in Home for Dinner. The session will focus on family dinner as a key component of contributing to healthy development – both physically and socio-emotionally – throughout all stages of childhood, as well as how a positive mealtime dynamic can have beneficial impacts on all members of a family.
• 15th Annual Women’s Health and Fitness Expo, May 2, 2015. Dr. Fishel will lead a seminar entitled How to Get the Most out of Your Family Dinners: Eat Well, Play, Talk, Experiment, and Engage with the Wider World, in which she’ll offer her perspectives as a family therapist, working parent, and community organizer to help participants create more meaningful mealtime experiences. Storytelling, playing with your food, and using the time spent cooking and eating together to spark deeper conversations and acts of social engagement will be particular highlights of this session with Dr. Fishel.

For more information about other appearances and upcoming events featuring Dr. Fishel, visit the Events page.

Dr. Fishel on the Radio

On April 14, 2015, you’ll have two opportunities to hear Dr. Fishel offer her expert advice and opinion about family mealtimes. She’ll be appearing on two separate radio broadcasts to promote Home for Dinner and discuss how families can improve their connections around the dinner table, and why doing so matters. Tune in to either (or both!) of the following shows to hear her thoughts:

• From 2-2:30 PM, hear Dr. Fishel exchange views with Stuart Roth of Salt and Light Radio. Mr. Roth bills his show as a platform for “addressing many of the social, economic and spiritual issues confronting families and individuals.” Dr. Fishel will discuss how family dinner fits into the picture, and what individual families can do to strengthen their bonds through shared meals.
• From 6:00-7:00 PM, Dr. Fishel will join Virginia Colin of the Family Matters Talk Radio Show to discuss how family dinners can be part of the framework for a positive home life and how shared mealtimes can help families thrive.

For more information on other upcoming appearances by Dr. Fishel, both on the radio and in person, visit the Events page.

Upcoming Appearances by Dr. Fishel

April is shaping up to be a very busy month for Dr. Anne Fishel! Throughout the month, she will be appearing both in person and on radio broadcasts to promote Home for Dinner and provide her expert advice on improving the state of family dinners. A complete listing of upcoming appearances can be found on the Events page, but mark your calendars for the following fast-approaching opportunities to hear from Dr. Fishel:

• On April 6, 2015, Dr. Fishel will be leading a session called “Getting the Most Out of Your Family Dinners” at the MGH Faculty Parents Group. The session will run from noon to 1:00 p.m. and will include discussion on how to make family dinners playful, talkative, meaningful, and connected to the broader world.
• On April 10, 2015, tune into the “Mom Enough” show with Dr. Marti Erickson to hear Dr. Anne Fishel discuss the importance of family dinners and how to improve interactions at the dinner table.
• On April 11, 2015, meet Dr. Fishel in person and get your copy of Home for Dinner signed at Limited Editions in Newton, MA between 2:00 and 4:00 PM.

Stay tuned for future events and updates throughout the month!

UPDATED: Event Postponed – Join Dr. Fishel at the MGH Russell Museum

**UPDATE AS OF 2/10/15: This event has been postponed due to the heavy snowfall in the Boston area. Dr. Fishel will now be appearing at the Russell Museum on February 17, 2015 from 6-8 p.m.**

Why are family dinners so important?
Dr. Fishel sums it up in three words: “Connection, enjoyment, and stability.”

Hear more about why her years of experience in family therapy (and with a family of her own!) have convinced Dr. Fishel that family dinners are a vital part of our physical and emotional well-being at the MGH Russell Museum on February 10, 2015 at 6 p.m. Details, including registration information, are provided on the image below.

 

Recipes from “Home for Dinner” Featured on Johnson and Johnson Parents!

I’m pleased to announce that several of the recipes from my book, Home for Dinner: Mixing Food, Fun and Conversation for a Happier Family and Healthier Kids are now available in print-friendly format on Johnson and Johnson Parents. You’ll find the recipes there for some of our family’s favorite soups, my mother’s legendary ice cream cake, simple sesame noodles, and easy, delicious meringue cookies. (They’re so easy and good, I whipped up a batch to bring along to one of my recent book signing events!)

You can find the recipes on jnjparents.com. Enjoy!

Join Me for a Book Release Party!

Photo courtesy of Newtonville Books

I’m pleased to invite all readers to a very special event celebrating the launch of “Home for Dinner.” The wonderful Newtonville Books will be hosting a book release party on January 6, 2015 at 7 p.m. at their location in Newton, MA. Excerpted from their announcement of the event:

“Home for Dinner makes a passionate and informed plea to put mealtime back at the center of family life and supplies compelling evidence and realistic tips for getting even the busiest of families back to the table. Chock full of stories, new research, recipes, and friendly advice, the book explains how to: Whip up quick, healthy, and tasty dinners; get kids to lend a hand (without any grief); adapt meals to the needs of everyone – from toddlers to teens; inspire picky eaters to explore new foods; keep dinnertime conversation stimulating; add an element of fun; reduce tension at the table; explore other cultures and spark curiosity about the world. Mealtime is a place to unwind and reconnect, far from the pressures of school and work. As the author notes, family therapy can be helpful, but regular dinner is transformative.”

Learn more about the party on the Newtonville Books site, and please join the fun if you can!