The scene shown on countless TV shows every day: kids come back from an exhausting day at school right as Dad arrives home from work. The family meets Mom at the dinner table for a warm, home-cooked meal. This picture-perfect American family then shares laughs and stories from the day. For some South families, eating dinner with the family every night is a tradition. For others, it is simply unrealistic.

Sophomore Monica Masini said that even though she and her brother play sports, her family makes time to eat dinner together  most nights.

“Eating together allows [my family and I] to share the ups and downs of our day,” Masini said. “It does impact our relationship in a positive way.”

According to a study done by the University of Florida, the effects of eating dinner as a family do not stop at the dinner table. Research has shown that eating dinner as a family at least five times a week can lower rates of obesity, illegal drug use, drinking and smoking in teenagers and pre-teens compared to those who eat dinner with their families twice or less in a week.

Sophomore Nash Kennedy says that his parents make it a priority to eat as a family every night and it strengthens their relationship.

“We talk a lot, and sometimes we even argue, but [eating dinner as a family] still brings us closer,” Kennedy said.

In 2009, the fourth Monday of September became designated “Family Day — A Day to Eat Dinner with Your Children” as a day to have a sit-down, family dinner. Joseph Califano, founder of the Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), said “Family Day” was made as an anti-drug measure.

“America’s drug problem is not going to be solved in courtrooms or legislative hearing rooms by judges and politicians,” Califano said, quoted in Time Magazine. “It will be solved in living rooms and dining rooms and across kitchen tables — by parents and families.”

Health teacher Michelle Scheinkopf thinks eating as a family can benefit many aspects of a student’s life.

“Anytime where [family time together] is fragmented, or when you don’t have a block of time together where you can really start to have conversations, I think that’s a problem,” Scheinkopf said. “I definitely think kids, whether it’s their grades, their mental health or problems they’re having with friends, it starts to get bad when they can’t find the time to talk about it with their parents or loved ones.”

Sophomore Catherine Frey said that because she and her family have always been on different schedules, it is difficult for them to eat together.

“My family never really had that tradition [of eating together] so it doesn’t really affect me,” Frey said, “It’s not unusual, it’s my usual.”

Although freshman Carrie Reusche also does not eat dinner with her family on a daily basis, she understands why it may be important.

“I do believe that eating dinner with your family is good because the more influence your family has on you the better,” Reusche said. “But I don’t eat with my family every night, and we still find time to talk together everyday.”

Another study done by CASA says that students who eat dinner with their families five times or more in a week get better grades than those who eat dinner with their families twice or less times in a week. Frey, however, does not believe that family dinners correlate with grades.

“I think that kids might get better grades, but I don’t think it’s based off of family dinners,” Frey said. “Times that most people are having dinner with their families, I’m studying and doing homework and my parents are working.”

Scheinkopf stresses the importance of making time for family.

“[Most times when students aren’t at school], they’re with your friends, and not that your friends can’t be good role models, but let’s face it, you need your family,” Scheinkopf said. “You need that support system of your family to help guide you, guide your values and your beliefs. Your parents were your first teachers, they know how to help you.”

Reusche also values the importance of spending time with family, regardless of when this time occurs.

“It’s important for kids to have family bonding time, whether it’s at dinner or somewhere else,” Reusche said, “With a family to listen to them and help them, kids don’t have to feel alone.”