National Family Day --

Today is National Family Day.  I was made aware of this "holiday" by the security guard at my parking garage when he wished me a "happy family day."  I replied-- "thanks!"-- without missing a beat, even though I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about.  A little googling uncovered a rather depressing fact; National Family Day is a day designated to eating dinner with your family.  As opposed to every other day?

Apparently, the day is about getting your kids not to do drugs.  If you eat with them, they are less likely to do drugs, the theory being that you are more likely to talk about it if you are forced together at a table for a period of time in the form of the family dinner.  (The imagery of this can be funny...imagine a family, awkwardly sitting around the table, and the dad thinking, "Well, we've got nothing else to talk about. Might as well broach that drug thing.") 

It occurs to me, though, that the reason eating together as a family leads to lower rates of drug use might be more fundamental.  I think food can be a really unifying--and divisive--thing.  Eating together, eating the same thing, brings you closer to one another.  When you initially go out on a date, how often is it over dinner?  And meeting up with friends, don't you usually grab a bite to eat?  Similarly, eating separately can make you feel isolated and lonely.  If you're at all like me, when you cook for yourself, you eat strange little meals that you would never serve your friends.  You eat quickly, not really paying attention, just trying to get it done so you can move on to the next thing. 

Unfortunately, even in families that do eat together, those who cannot eat gluten often eat alone.  I have heard parents talk about their child being diagnosed with celiac and they, very conscientiously, ensure that the child eats gluten-free, but do not consider changing their own diet.  Or when a spouse is diagnosed, the other offers sympathy regarding the difficulties of finding delicious, healthy gluten-free food while housing a sandwich.  Or when a friend who shares a house has celiac, the housemates never clean the kitchen after eating bread, pizza, spilling beer.  I was very lucky that, after my diagnosis, my husband helped me eliminate every trace of gluten from our home.  He's been incredibly supportive and is often more cautious than I am.

I think, in consideration of National Family Day, if you know a celiac or someone who cannot eat gluten, you should join them for a meal.  Experience with them how difficult it can be to eat gluten-free.  Or, alternatively, show them that it does not have to be a trial.  If you have a child who cannot eat gluten, make them something delicious and eat it with them.  Just imagine how much closer they'll listen if they know that you care enough to make them feel included.  Maybe they won't do drugs!  Happy family day to you.