To let kids eat dinner on laps?

Side note, I've seen an experiment once where people who ate whilst watching TV, consumed more food than people who were eating without it. But yes, I would say eating from the lap sometimes is perfectly fine but 🚫 every meal.

Kids ages 3 and 6 and the table isn't really practical and no space for a larger one

What does this mean? If you have a table, in what way isn't it practical for a 3 & 6 yo?

Use the table, making whatever changes are needed, as eating properly, at a table of any kind, is a necessary life skill.

I grew up eating on the sofa with a tray in front of the TV, and my kids do it pretty often, too.

Does this mean they also don’t have a table at which they can sit and draw or do homework?

I'm not sure why you've posted OP. You have a table and feel bad. Use the table then.

It's like this has been posted to start the usual let's judge each other over using a table to eat at thing. One side must use a table at all times or your kids will be feral the other side of misophonia and SN who can't bear eating noises of any kind so all eat apart and the big spectrum of laid back types who eat in front of the telly but wouldn't dare admit it on here.

Personally I don't give a toss what people do as long as the kids eat.

It would be important to me. I like family meals and somewhere for crafts, homework etc

It's extremely important to me and I'd sacrifice other things rather than a family table.
It's where we eat meals, DS6 does his homework (and where DD3 will whenshe starts school), arts and crafts, play board games etc etc
We also have a kids table and 2 chairs from IKEA that they can use in the living room which is useful for breakfast and when we have takeaway and movie at the weekend.

Tbh eating together and round a table is important for me. Sorry OP but as you've come here for opinions I think it's something you should try and change if you can.

Eating on your laps is going to be a challenge for some meals and no issue for others.
As long as you're all chatting with each other and not staring at a TV you will get the most important benefit of eating together.

You have a table that no one can sit at? I don’t really understand, but I agree about getting a folding table if possible.

It’s not ideal obviously and I would do everything I could to avoid it (because I think talking at the table is important for conversation and family cohesion, leads to a better relationship with food, and teaches table manners naturally).. but it depends how high it is on your personal priority list, and what your options are.

Would a folding able work?

Well, if you feel bad about it, is there anything else at all that you can do?

It isn’t the end of the world, obviously, but eating at a table and using a knife and fork are useful skills, especially for school lunches and if you’re eating out anywhere other than fast food outlets.

I’ve seen a teenager attempt to eat a roast dinner whilst lying across a banquette. It was messy.

But, your children , your choice.

I've no idea what room you have, but could you not get a small folding table and chairs?

If nothing else, it's the mess I would struggle with. Maybe my kids are feral (13 and 12) but eating anything "sloppy" on their laps (i.e. casseroles or stews) would result in food all over them as well as the furniture.

My daughter had a little fold flat table.. grandson sits on sofa and uses that.. then it's folded away.

It depends. Are they watching TV/internet at the same time? Do you have family meal times together even if it's on laps?
One thing I've always prioritised is family meals round the table (although when very young they often ate their evening meal earlier than us parents on weekdays). Now they're teens who are not so keen to hang out with us at weekends anymore (this will happen, even if they're nice kids who actually like you) the daily family meal round the table is where we get most of our quality family time and conversation.

When my DDs were little we used small children’s table and chairs. DH and I would eat on our laps but I felt DDs needed something. If it’s not possible to do that then it’s not possible. Nothing wrong with throwing a towel on the floor for them to sit on either.

folding table, or trays with legs that goes right over their laps.

As long as the TV and other screens are off, no issue with the actual seating, if that is what you have got

Get a folding table.
No TV

We ate our dinners on trays on our lap for years growing up as we didn't have one. Don't think I sat at a table regularly till I had my own flat in my mid twenties. You work with your circumstances.

It’s not the end of the world; I’d be more bothered by the potential mess

I don't think it matters where you eat, it's more about whether everyone is together and present and chatting... Or just staring at the TV mindlessly, or ignoring each other generally.

When I was young, we did the latter. And at the time I loved it, (Simpsons! Bernard Matthews chicken shape thing five nights a week! 😅) but it makes me sad to think of it now. All that precious time to chat and catch up as a family, missed. Because my mum preferred to sit apart from us, in the kitchen, to eat. We had a dining table too, it's weird. We didn't use it except at Christmas.

Which is why I now force my kids to sit around the table and talk every dinnertime 😅 (I'm not too arsed about breakfast or lunch though unless it's a particularly good lunch). It also teaches them how to behave socially, if you go out to eat at a restaurant and so on.

What are they sitting on, the sofa? Are they watching tv?

I mean, you know it’s not ideal. They won’t learn decent cutlery use or table manners with their plates on their laps but if it’s not a priority or somehow impossible (if you have a table it’s not impossible) then it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks does it.

Would be an issue for me. At that age can you squeeze in a little kids table and two chairs? Double it up as an arts and crafts table area? It's better to have one than not - just thinking ahead for school dinners and restaurants..

Well if its best in the space you have then it's best!! Not everyone has space for a table do they..

In our first flat we had to eat dinner sat on the sofa with trays.

Well I had to from about 8 because where we moved was too small for a table, it’s fine. I eat at the table as an adult so it hasn’t damaged me