Dinner times as a family?

[NordicWife]

We are weaning our baby and I keep reading about how helpful it is to eat with them at the same time. I would also like to start doing one meal for the family (baby's without salt) as it will be so much easier. But does this mean families / couples eat really early in the afternoon?

We normally cook and eat around 8-8.30 after baby's in bed. Baby's bedtime routine begins at 6.15 and baby normally gets their dinner at about 5pm. Obviously 5pm is way to earlier for us to eat dinner! Plus my husbands still at work anyway! So I don't understand how we can possibly eat at the table with baby, apart from at lunch time perhaps?

How do other families do this? What time do you eat?

Do continental families have later dinner as they have a siesta in the afternoon?

I'm Italian, IME DC don't really nap much longer than English DC but lots have 'quiet time' in the afternoon, and dinner is usually at 7 with DC bedtime around 9.

We live in England and all eat together around 6-6.30, then the baby goes to bed around 8.30 and my 4 year old at 9. We've never had problems getting up in the morning as we live next door to school!

When dd was that age, she went to bed at about 8-8.30 so that DH could get home from work and we could all eat together. She always had enough sleep. Fuck uk baby bedtimes. Do what works for your family!

These days we all eat together as a family, but when my DC were little DH wasn't home in time. I agree with sitting with her while she eats (and you have a piece of fruit or cup of tea or whatever). And eat together at weekends by having your main meal at lunchtime and a snack at kids' supper time (plus another snack later on).

I had the same question when I had my first DC. How do we eat all together when DH isn’t even home yet!

I did as others have said and DC ate while I sat with them. Sometimes if DH was working away or going to be later I would eat with them.

It depends on what works for you as a family around work and bedtimes.

@Peanutbutteryogurt

You know you get to decide when baby goes to bed?

I don't think we ate with DD at weaning age but we pretty much always eat with DD now she's two, unless we're getting a takeaway or something and then we'll have it later. We eat at 6 and DD goes to bed between 7.30-8, in the bath from 7ish. It seems quite a British thing to put children to bed super early and then be surprised when they wake up at 5am!

Thank you, yes I know I get to decide haha! But my baby sleeps from 7pm till 8am at the moment and I can't really have it any later in the mornings!

Mon - thurs mine ate at nursery or childminder now . Then I have mine either after I’ve picked them up or after youngest in bed . Fri - Sunday I eat with them at 5.