Does your family eat dinner together?

[dixipixi]

We have every meal together at the table. Even if we're just having sandwiches for lunch, we sit together at the table.

 

[Bashful2]

If DH is working 3-11, it's just DD16, DD17, usually DD17's BF and me. Otherwise, it's all of us. If the girls have other friends over, we still all sit at the table together for dinner.

DD tells me that their friends like that we do this because they're not used to it at their houses. It's always been very important to me to have that family time together. Often, since the girls are older, it's the only time we all have to sit down and talk.

 

[Planogirl]

It's normally just DS and I, and I admit that we usually watch Jon Stewart while we eat. We have fun with it.

 

[twojo21]

yes every night. its a nice chance to chat & eat.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would say out of 10 dinners we eat one together....we don't have a set dinner time, whenever the after school activities are done then we eat...sometimes at the tabel, but I normally make DD's dinner first so she can eat while I cook the other dinner...sometimes she eats on her bed watching TV, sometimes at the table, sometimes in the living room...I eat at the table, in the living room, at the computer...wherever.....I used to hate that family mealtime when I was a kid so its not a big thing for me to do now...

 

[LindsayDunn228]

It's just me and my hubby, but yes we do sit and eat together.

 

[Kitty 34]

When my boys were younger and at home, we usually always ate at the dinner table. But now it's just my 16 yr old DS here at home while DH works thru the evening. Sometimes we still eat together.

 

[NMAmy]

We used to all the time when dd was younger. Now that she's a teenager, she has more activities and so it happens less during the week but we still usually do on the weekends. Every Sunday, my mom comes over when she's in town and we all eat together at the table.

Last night, dd went to a basketball game after school with a friend. I made chili so DH and I ate together--it's been a rough week for both of us so we ate in the living room where the chairs are comfier. When dd got home late, I fixed up some chili for her and she ate at the table while I sat with her and we talked. When they get to be teenagers--you just have to work a little harder to get everyone together at the same time!

 

[Christine]

Yes, we still do, just about every night. I was brought up that way and can't imagine doing anything different. Both DH and I work full-time. As soon as I get home, I start dinner and we are all eating wtihin an hour--usually before any activities start.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

We usually eat dinner together. Depending on the time of the year and what activities we have going on it's not feasible every night, but whenever it is possible we do. I'm a SAHM who watches a before/afterschool daycare child and as soon as she goes home at about 6PM we eat. My DH works at home and can come up for dinner. No commutes to worry about, which helps.

 

[lemondog]

I am talking about the scene where everyone sits down at the dining room table at a certain time and eats together, and can only get up when excused kind of thing. Just curious how many people still do this.

We do this as much as possible. It's how DH and I both grew up. However, sometimes my girls can't make it until he gets home to eat, and many times he works late, so it probably only happens about 3 times per week. Still, we do it as much as possible -- no TV, no getting up without being excused -- just the family together.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

My DH and I also almost always sit and have lunch together since he works at home. It's nothing great--sandwich, frozen meal, leftovers, etc, but we do sit together and eat.

 

[goofy4tink]

When I was growing up that is what we did. Then, when my two oldest were young, back in the late 70's/early 80's, we tried to eat the majority of meals together. Now, we try to eat together for dinner about 5 nights a week. My dd, 12, had gotten used to eating in front of the tv, at a tv tray, while dh and I ate at the kitchen table. The issue was that she didn't like what we were eating, so I would make her something different, and she would eat while I prepared dinner for dh and myself. Now, though, this has stopped. I am expecting her to eat more normally, like an adult, with us. Even if she eats something a bit different than our dinner, she is still at the table with us. It's a great way to learn good table manners (which most kids don't seem to get anymore), and to listen and learn about each others' days. We do have the news on in the background, so we can discuss that also.

 

[Nancy]

We actually just started doing that! We used to when the kids were little, but we have a very small kitchen and we all couldn't fit around the table once the high chair was gone. We have a dining room but my table was old and as the years went by we were down to 2 chairs (5 people in the family) We just bought a new dining room set and got rid of the kitchen set (we just have a pub tabel and 2 chairs in there now) now we eat at the dining room table every night. (most nights I'm at work so they eat without me) the girls have really gotten in to it, they set the table, light the candles and actually clean the table too! Now if I could get them to wash the dishes......

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

My family almost always eats dinner together at the dining room table. We dont allow eating in the other rooms so no eating while watching a movie for us unless it is popcorn!

Growing up, and this is not a joke, my dad ate in the living room, my mom in the dining room and the kids in the kitchen. Every night!

 

[tigercat]

We have always eaten in the kitchen. The only time now that we don't is if it is a get your own dinner night. My ds will eat in his room when he is working because he either has to eat at 4:30 or gets home after 8 p.m. The nights he doesn't work though he is in the dining room. Also, my dgrdd don't eat in the kitchen at their house but in my house if they are eating dinner they are at the table even if I am feeding them just before taking them home. There is no reading at the table and the t.v. is turned off. It is a time for people to come together. It is also as another poster said a time to make sure the kids learn manners as they seem to be really lacking in todays world.
tigercat

 

[MamaLema]

Every night. I'm guessing as they become older it probably won't be every night though.

 

[SC Minnie]

We eat dinner together at the table about 5 nights/week. The nights we don't is usually when DD has dance til 7 or one of us doesn't feel well or is just not hungry.

 

[skiwee1]

Most nights lately it seems we don't. DS works some nights starting at 4pm so he eats before work. DH doesn't come from work til 7pm most nights. Usually it is myself, and DD 6, and DD 22. Weekends I try to plan for everyone to eat together. I really miss those days. We ate together every night up til last year.

 

[Saphire]

I did not grow up like that, so eating together as a family was a priority to me when I got marrried. It takes an active decision and some work to make it happen. For instance, there has to be food on the table, so that means menu planning and time spent preparing it. But it has been worth it, as the dinner table is where we get to know our kids, and make that connection with them in an otherwise hectic world.