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The Hour That Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal
The facts are on the table. Dinnertime is truly the most important hour in a day that a family can spend together. Focusing on the family meal, this book will help strengthen families by showing them how to reclaim this important time in order to build relationships, draw closer to one another, and restore a sense of peace in their homes. Millions of parents in America can picture the kind of home life they want but don’t know how to make it a reality. The Hour That Matters Most will help readers strengthen and transform their own families—specifically around the dinner table.
203 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2011
16 people are currently reading
289 people want to read
About the author
Les Parrott III
151 books131 followers#1 New York Times best-selling authors, Les and Leslie. A husband-and-wife team who not only share the same name, but the same passion for helping others build healthy relationships. In 1991, the Parrotts founded the Center for Relationship Development on the campus of Seattle Pacific University - a groundbreaking program dedicated to teaching the basics of good relationships.
Married in 1984, the Parrotts bring real-life examples to their speaking platform. Their professional training - Leslie as a marriage and family therapist, and Les as a clinical psychologist - ensures a presentation that is grounded, insightful and cutting-edge.
The Parrotts are New York Times #1 Best Selling Authors. Their books include the award-winning Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, Love Talk, Real Relationships, The Parent You Want to Be, The Hour That Matters Most and Crazy Good Sex.
Each year Les and Leslie speak in over 40 cities. Their audiences include a wide array of venues, from churches to Fortune 500 company board rooms. Their books have sold over two million copies in more than two dozen languages.
The Parrotts have been guests on many national TV and radio programs such as CNN, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, The View with Barbara Walters, NBC Nightly News, and Oprah. Their work has been featured in USA Today and The New York Times.
Visit their website for lots of free resources at www.LesandLeslie.com
Married in 1984, the Parrotts bring real-life examples to their speaking platform. Their professional training - Leslie as a marriage and family therapist, and Les as a clinical psychologist - ensures a presentation that is grounded, insightful and cutting-edge.
The Parrotts are New York Times #1 Best Selling Authors. Their books include the award-winning Saving Your Marriage Before It Starts, Love Talk, Real Relationships, The Parent You Want to Be, The Hour That Matters Most and Crazy Good Sex.
Each year Les and Leslie speak in over 40 cities. Their audiences include a wide array of venues, from churches to Fortune 500 company board rooms. Their books have sold over two million copies in more than two dozen languages.
The Parrotts have been guests on many national TV and radio programs such as CNN, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, The View with Barbara Walters, NBC Nightly News, and Oprah. Their work has been featured in USA Today and The New York Times.
Visit their website for lots of free resources at www.LesandLeslie.com
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
November 6, 2013
Super duh for me, but maybe not for you. That said, there's so much of this book that is just so very square one, for lack of a better term, that I don't know how anybody who cares enough to understand that a family eating together is a good thing and goes so far as to seek out a book about it, will not already know half of this. For real, I'm trying to picture the moms and dads for whom this book is a revelation and I can't because I don't want to think about people like that existing. I know they do, but I don't want to think about it.
This book isn't about meals so much as it's a respectful communication manual with a few recipes thrown in. There are large chunks dedicated to pull-quotes and vaugely off-topic annecdotes. The whole thing comes across like three friends got together and said, "I'm a shrink and you have a frozen meal business. We could totes make bank with a book!" Hodge-podge together some recipes and tips on active listening and voila! For sale on Kindle, $1.99.
Long story short (too late), it wasn't bad. It just wasn't worthwhile.
This book isn't about meals so much as it's a respectful communication manual with a few recipes thrown in. There are large chunks dedicated to pull-quotes and vaugely off-topic annecdotes. The whole thing comes across like three friends got together and said, "I'm a shrink and you have a frozen meal business. We could totes make bank with a book!" Hodge-podge together some recipes and tips on active listening and voila! For sale on Kindle, $1.99.
Long story short (too late), it wasn't bad. It just wasn't worthwhile.
August 24, 2020
I've been preparing frozen meals for my family at Dream Dinners for over four years, and the company was giving out this book as an incentive for us to keep coming - since Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna, the company's co-founders, are co-authors of this book. The little bits that they contributed I found useful, especially the recipes accompanied by color photos and also the story behind the creation of their company. But Stephanie and Tina co-authored this with Les & Leslie Parrott, a self-help writing duo with psychology degrees whose voices pretty much dominate, shrilly. The Notes section at the end breaks down each chapter, citing each of their previous self help titles generously for the reader's convenience.
I felt very much like the choir being preached at since our family has been eating dinner together (without the TV on) since our very inception. It was gratifying to learn about all the unintended benefits our kids are reaping by our doing so: that they'll be less likely to smoke, do drugs, suffer academic failure. Also I'll admit even though my eyes did roll constantly throughout this entire reading, there were a few cheesy tidbits I might file away for future use (like clarifying and reflecting when listening to kids, or using XYZ, i.e., "In situation X when you do Y I feel Z"). But first of all I felt it odd that nutrition and health were never once mentioned, and secondly I just don't see the people who need to read this kind of book ever gravitating towards it. If you don't eat dinner with your family, and are reading this review and considering possibly making the change, by all means do read this book, I encourage you!!!
I felt very much like the choir being preached at since our family has been eating dinner together (without the TV on) since our very inception. It was gratifying to learn about all the unintended benefits our kids are reaping by our doing so: that they'll be less likely to smoke, do drugs, suffer academic failure. Also I'll admit even though my eyes did roll constantly throughout this entire reading, there were a few cheesy tidbits I might file away for future use (like clarifying and reflecting when listening to kids, or using XYZ, i.e., "In situation X when you do Y I feel Z"). But first of all I felt it odd that nutrition and health were never once mentioned, and secondly I just don't see the people who need to read this kind of book ever gravitating towards it. If you don't eat dinner with your family, and are reading this review and considering possibly making the change, by all means do read this book, I encourage you!!!
October 10, 2013
If getting the family together for a dinner meal seems next to impossible, apparently you're not alone. This book shows that while it is hard to do with everyone's schedule in different directions, it can really help the family unit.
According to the authors, dinnertime is the one time that brings the family together through conversation and a meal. But they also state that the 'hour that matters most' doesn't have to be dinner - it's a meal where the entire family can sit down with each other, hopefully on a regular basis. An example in the book was where a busy family shared breakfast together each morning since the evenings were so harried.
The Hour That Matters Most gives practical advice for busy parents to use, with meal suggestions and recipes. The home-dinner team of Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna of Dream Dinners contributed to dinner help and how to plan for it. All the authors point out that eating together is more important than the actual food being served, or even the time of day it is served at. It's about bonding with the family. For those who are busy, it's a great book to help with structuring and a meal with conversation tips, etiquette guidelines, and how to encourage kids to listen, and how to identify conflict triggers at the dinner table.
According to the authors, dinnertime is the one time that brings the family together through conversation and a meal. But they also state that the 'hour that matters most' doesn't have to be dinner - it's a meal where the entire family can sit down with each other, hopefully on a regular basis. An example in the book was where a busy family shared breakfast together each morning since the evenings were so harried.
The Hour That Matters Most gives practical advice for busy parents to use, with meal suggestions and recipes. The home-dinner team of Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna of Dream Dinners contributed to dinner help and how to plan for it. All the authors point out that eating together is more important than the actual food being served, or even the time of day it is served at. It's about bonding with the family. For those who are busy, it's a great book to help with structuring and a meal with conversation tips, etiquette guidelines, and how to encourage kids to listen, and how to identify conflict triggers at the dinner table.
March 29, 2013
I've already been convicted on the importance of family dinners although at times I wonder why because they can be pure torture with my 3 children! Greg and I are very intentional about not scheduling any activities for us or our kids around the dinner hour. This can be challenging and of course there are some nights that are exceptions. I'm praying that it will pay off and I'm pretty convinced that it will make our family closer. This book furthered my conviction and also gave me some good ideas for conversation starters and other traditions I can start with my family.
December 29, 2011
Great reminders about the power of eating dinner as a family and building relationships with your children each day. Our time with them goes so quickly. Would have liked more practical tips about making this dinner happen more easily. However, the general ideas were a powerful reminder to me and will result in changes to our family life. This one is really worth reading.
August 5, 2019
Quick and easy read about the importance of having regular dinner as a family, along with practicals about how to make it happen and various advice about raising children. I appreciate the argument and advice, and may refer back to the recipes written st the end of each chapter.
August 27, 2011
-Tyndale House Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review-
"This book is devoted to helping you reclaim your family dinnertime and reap the surprising rewards it has to offer" (page xiv). That being said, this book isn't one that *just* talks about the importance of family dinners. Don't get me wrong, it does talk about that, and offers research and statistics in regard to the benefits of a family eating together, but it has much more to offer as well. It offers advice on how to make the most of the time you put aside for your family, how to communicate with your children, the importance of empathy, active listening (and the ideas of clarification and reflection when communicating with your children). It contains little exercises, ideas, and games. It addresses how to curb conflict at the dinner table, the idea of criticism vs. complaining, correction and encouragement, good manners, ideas for discussions to try... There are quotes throughout the book, and "try this" sections, as well as recipes scattered throughout.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was the idea of "rubber, metal, glass", in discussing what is really important in our lives. How when you drop rubber it bounces back, metal may make a lot of noise but is something that won't be permanently damaged, but how glass is something that, once broken, will never be the same. It really puts things into perspective.
I also liked how the tone of this book was personal and warm. It wasn't preachy or overly technical, in terms of how they conveyed the information. They were able to present, even their statistics and studies, in an approachable, relate-able way.
This book is one that could be applied to family relationships, even outside of the "dinner hour", and I would recommend it to any parent wanting to cultivate a stronger bond with their children. It's a quick, enjoyable read that leaves the reader with so much to consider, so much to put into practice. I look forward to incorporating what I've learned into my own dinner times and family relationships. :)
"This book is devoted to helping you reclaim your family dinnertime and reap the surprising rewards it has to offer" (page xiv). That being said, this book isn't one that *just* talks about the importance of family dinners. Don't get me wrong, it does talk about that, and offers research and statistics in regard to the benefits of a family eating together, but it has much more to offer as well. It offers advice on how to make the most of the time you put aside for your family, how to communicate with your children, the importance of empathy, active listening (and the ideas of clarification and reflection when communicating with your children). It contains little exercises, ideas, and games. It addresses how to curb conflict at the dinner table, the idea of criticism vs. complaining, correction and encouragement, good manners, ideas for discussions to try... There are quotes throughout the book, and "try this" sections, as well as recipes scattered throughout.
One thing I particularly enjoyed was the idea of "rubber, metal, glass", in discussing what is really important in our lives. How when you drop rubber it bounces back, metal may make a lot of noise but is something that won't be permanently damaged, but how glass is something that, once broken, will never be the same. It really puts things into perspective.
I also liked how the tone of this book was personal and warm. It wasn't preachy or overly technical, in terms of how they conveyed the information. They were able to present, even their statistics and studies, in an approachable, relate-able way.
This book is one that could be applied to family relationships, even outside of the "dinner hour", and I would recommend it to any parent wanting to cultivate a stronger bond with their children. It's a quick, enjoyable read that leaves the reader with so much to consider, so much to put into practice. I look forward to incorporating what I've learned into my own dinner times and family relationships. :)
September 5, 2011
I really enjoyed this book and got a lot more out of it than I'd originally thought I would. The premise of this book is why eating meals together as a family, especially dinner, is so important to each individual in your family as well as your family unit on a whole.
My family already eats dinner together almost every night (although my kids are only 2 and 5 years old so they hardly have somewhere better to be) but I was interested in the information the book had on family dinners and the tips and recipes they offered.
What I got out of this book was a lot of terrific information on improving your conversations with your kids and spouse as well as improving your relationship. How to make your home the safe haven that your children can come home to and speak honestly in.
This was one of those books that had me constantly quoting passages to my husband and trying ideas out with the kids as I read it. I definitely recommend it to anyone struggling to eat together as a family or even just looking for tips on how to improve that hour you are already eating together.
My family already eats dinner together almost every night (although my kids are only 2 and 5 years old so they hardly have somewhere better to be) but I was interested in the information the book had on family dinners and the tips and recipes they offered.
What I got out of this book was a lot of terrific information on improving your conversations with your kids and spouse as well as improving your relationship. How to make your home the safe haven that your children can come home to and speak honestly in.
This was one of those books that had me constantly quoting passages to my husband and trying ideas out with the kids as I read it. I definitely recommend it to anyone struggling to eat together as a family or even just looking for tips on how to improve that hour you are already eating together.
October 11, 2012
Good common sense advice on how to create and improve positive family relationships through eating together at the dinner table.
There is nothing revolutionary in this book. All of the bits of family psychology and relationship advice has been seen elsewhere, probably numerous times. The authors bring these together under the context of family dinners and discusses how this setting can be the best place to grow family relationships.
One of the major problems is the busy-ness of modern life and having family dinners seems like an impossibility for many families. This book helps these busy families see that family dinners, at least a few times each week, are not impossible and they may actually help "save" time in terms of reduced stress, families that get along better, and other positives from time that is invested in growing family relationships.
The book contains sample recipes at the end of each chapter. Even though there is a commercial tie-in, I don't think that particular facet subtracts from the message of the book.
There is nothing revolutionary in this book. All of the bits of family psychology and relationship advice has been seen elsewhere, probably numerous times. The authors bring these together under the context of family dinners and discusses how this setting can be the best place to grow family relationships.
One of the major problems is the busy-ness of modern life and having family dinners seems like an impossibility for many families. This book helps these busy families see that family dinners, at least a few times each week, are not impossible and they may actually help "save" time in terms of reduced stress, families that get along better, and other positives from time that is invested in growing family relationships.
The book contains sample recipes at the end of each chapter. Even though there is a commercial tie-in, I don't think that particular facet subtracts from the message of the book.
November 3, 2011
This book was given to me free, which is how it came into my hands. I initially skimmed it, and during some chapters, would actually read more in depth. What I liked about the book: the recipes included, the 4 line blessing, and the fact that it actually made me focus on what was going on at our dinner table. We already have a family dinner, so I didn't need to be convinced about doing that. I did not like how some stories in the book seemed to have nothing to do with anything. I did not like how the speaker in the chapter would suddenly change to a new speaker. The authors should have stuck to the writing and not had other people stick in completely unrelated things. I tore out all the recipes and the blessing, and will pass this book on. If you read this book, be aware that the editor did not notice that in the mac and cheese recipe, the milk was completely left out of the instructions. Good luck with that!
March 19, 2012
Quick read that reinforces the power of the family dinner. In this fast paced world, we have to get back to basics and protect our families. I've worked hard in the last year to cook healthier meals more frequently for my family. This book gives me the confirmation I needed to continue to press forward even when I feel overworked and under appreciated....I'm not satisified with being a "good enough mom" I want to be the mom God intended me to be and following these easy concepts of getting dinner on the table and eating as a family will surely go a long way.
July 11, 2014
I read this book because I remember how important family meal time was in my own childhood. I wanted that same thing for my little girl so I thought I would do a bit of research to see how beneficial it actually was... Even though the book didn't need to go on and on about the same thing, it did have some interesting facts. The other thing I didn't like was how it pushed the meals you make at those meetings.. And they seemed to belittle fun,easy foods that while not for everyday fare can be good for bonding and memory making.
January 17, 2012
What a great book!! I am not really big on parenting books or self help books, but this one really hit home. I found myself really trying to find ways to be more patient with my children and listen to them. This book really backed up what I already felt about sitting down to dinner as a family just about every night, with no distractions. I can see how this is going to have a profound effect as my children get older. Easy read and has some great recipes too!
February 5, 2013
This book is filled with information on how important it is to prepare and eat food with your family. Not so surprising, but interesting nonetheless.
If you do not already do so, this book will give you the incentive to make dinnertime a priority for your family. If you already have a family meal there is still much to learn from this book including tips on communicating with your children and some new recipes to prepare for your family.
If you do not already do so, this book will give you the incentive to make dinnertime a priority for your family. If you already have a family meal there is still much to learn from this book including tips on communicating with your children and some new recipes to prepare for your family.
December 6, 2012
An interesting combination about studies on why having dinner together makes families stronger and kids healthier, ideas on how to make family dinners happen, and cooking tips and recipes. Even if you already have meals together, you'll find helpful tips on getting your kids to open up to conversation. Good stuff!
April 4, 2012
If you eat dinner regularly with your family, don't bother. This book is intended for folks who are not used to "quality time" with their family. If you don't have much of that this book is probably good and useful.
January 31, 2012
The authors make their case for family dinner time while providing child/parent communication advice. Unfortunately, they teamed up with two women in the meal preparation industry, so there is a bit of advertising for this company.
May 1, 2012
Yes, I agree. Nothing revolutionary here, but underscores the importance of eating dinner together as a family. Some good ideas for conversation starters around the table. There are also a few recipes scattered throughout the book, which is an added bonus.
January 6, 2013
I grew up knowing dinner together with my family was important. Now, as a parent, I feel doubly challenged to make it happen in my home. I didn't read anything earth-shattering, but I appreciated the gentle reminders to use my time and my words carefully.
Want to read
October 7, 2012[free nook book]
October 17, 2012
Great book, really gets you thinking about family interaction and the importance of eating together.
October 18, 2012
Unplug for 1 hour with your family over a nutritious meal & enjoy the love & comfort found nowhere else! Great for todays family.
January 15, 2013
A few good ideas for family dinner conversation and traditions, along with some great recipes from the creators of Dream Dinners.
July 15, 2013
Reinforces the importance of family meals, interspersed with anecdotes and recipes. A quick read and useful for creating a family tradition of meals at the table together.
May 25, 2016
good ideas and reminders to keep the focus on the relationships with your family members.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews