For many families, dinner often translates to a 5 p.m. meal or a later repast, but for one mom of four, dinner time is now best enjoyed at around 3 p.m.
Aimee Connor, 38, told "Good Morning America" her family was already having early dinners for a while but it gradually shifted earlier and earlier.
Connor, a registered nurse who lives with her family in New South Wales, said she realized by the time her older children returned home from school and day care in the afternoon, they were often hungry, and she would reach for snacks -- often unhealthy ones -- to tide them over till dinner time.
"I'm offering them the junk food because I just need to do the dinner. So if the dinner is ready at 3, all of that is eliminated and I'm in a better mood, they're in a better mood, and it just works so much better," Connor explained.
Connor said the meal time shift, which she shared in a TikTok video, not only benefits her children but has also helped her overcome mom guilt and shame she felt around feeding her kids, some of whom can be "fussy eaters," less nutritious foods.
"I had [a] huge, huge amount of guilt and shame with food because of how my children just were fussy," Connor said. "The [later] dinner times were just this negative experience and I just wasn't looking forward to it. So as soon as I took that guilt and shame off, I could really concentrate on just having that positive attitude and creating this positive light and shine on dinner times and make it fun."
According to Connor, the dinner time change has been a "natural progression." During a lull in her afternoon at home with her youngest kids, who are 1 and 3, she said she'll try to prep some food, so that by 3 p.m., she can quickly cook or reheat certain foods and feed all four kids together.
Dinner meals at Connor's home are typically easy and basic meals like pizza, chicken schnitzel, chopped potatoes, steamed vegetables, or one of her favorites to prepare, spaghetti bolognese.
"I keep it pretty simple because they are so little still, so yeah, meat and two [vegetables] basically, and pizza," Connor said.
After a filling meal, the kids might get a dessert, from a piece of fruit or yogurt or frozen iced treat and Connor and her husband will often sit down for their own dinner by 4 p.m. Eating earlier gives her family the time to do more later in the evening, according to Connor.
"As long as they're eating something healthy, something nutritious and we're all enjoying it while we do it, I'm a happy mum," Connor said.
Connor's TikTok post about her family's early dinners has since sparked tens of thousands of likes and many comments, and Connor said she encourages other parents and families to try what works best for their own kids.
"For the most part, people just thought it was a great idea and they've been trying it and it's been working for them too," Connor said.
"I'm all about whatever works for your family. Just try and find that little niche, get in there and if that works, go for it," she added.
