Family Dinner Makes A Difference:

Parent Connection’s Annual Fun Night Returning

The Newtown Parent Connection will be hosting a “Family Dinner/Fun Night” and are encouraging parents to take this time and enjoy a wonderful evening out with their children.

In anticipation of National Family Day on Monday, September 26, Newtown Parent Connection will present the special event at Reed Intermediate School on Friday, September 23, from 6 to 8:30 pm. The event is also being sponsored in part by Newtown Prevention Council.

Tickets are $10 for a family of four and $3 for each additional person and are available online at www.NewtownParentConnection.org or at Dr Baum’s office, at 22 Church Hill Road.

Once again, a fun, family evening is planned. Pasta and meatballs, salad, bread, ice cream sundaes and entertainment for all is on the menu. Kevin Koschel is returning with great music and games and little ones will enjoy face painting.

Each year, this event has attracted capacity crowds so tickets must be purchased in advance. No tickets will be sold at the door.

Family Day began as a grassroots initiative and has grown to become a nationwide celebration. In fact, last year President Obama, all the governors, and more than 1,000 mayors and county executives across the country proclaimed and supported Family Day.

Eating dinner together every night is an opportunity to open the doors of communication with your children. For many, the overscheduling of parents and children often stands in the way of family dinners. It is not uncommon for families to argue at the dinner table, defeating the idea of positive communication. The following are tips to jump start your efforts for a family meal:

*Make dinner a special time. Be sure to turn off the TV and home and cellphones. Dinner can be conventional, a picnic, or a simple pizza. Food is not the focus. Family is.

*Leave disagreements behind. Concentrate on the positive; no criticisms or arguments.

*Decide, as a family, how to make family time a priority. Try for at least a couple of nights a week and attempt to build from there.

Talking Points

Courtesy of CasaFamilyDay.org, here are ways to engage in conversations with your kids. Use these starters for a fun way to get everyone talking:

*What was the best and worst thing that happened today?

*What is the greatest invention of all time?

*If you were in charge of the music for our family vacation, which songs would you pick?

*Which TV family is the most fun to watch?

*If you could have a wild animal from anywhere in the world as a pet, what animal would you choose?

*Where would you go for a dream vacation?

*If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

*What is one thing you could absolutely not live without?

*If you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?

*If you could live in any time period, which one would it be?

*What is your favorite thing you learned today?

*If you had to eat just one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

*What is one thing you want to accomplish in your lifetime?

*What book are you reading right now? What do you like about it? What do you dislike about it?

*If you could donate $1,000 to any charity, which charity would you select?

*If you could trade lives with anyone, who would it be?