Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Do you and your family eat dinner around a table ?

238 replies

Nicebitofsquirrell · 23/03/2023 16:13

Meal times have changed a lot in the last decade I think, parents are working longer hours, kids are doing more evening activities and the ides of eating around the table and talking about your day seems very foreign to a lot of children. It's not uncommon for primary age children to have never eaten at a table before and they've said they eat on a sofa with the telly on.

Do you and your family regularly eat around a table and discuss your day without a TV or radio on?

I used to really enjoy it when I was younger and when we stopped because of work patterns it made it much easier for me to hide my ED as no one was watching my food intake.

It's definitely something I want to bring to my family

OP posts:
OxanaVorontsova · 23/03/2023 16:56

Yes always

picklemewalnuts · 23/03/2023 16:56

Always, even if one or another is missing. We've done it from when the DC were tiny. They are adults now, and we still do.

We also plan and tweak meals and meal times, to suit who's coming.

Ostryga · 23/03/2023 16:58

Not during the week. I am slack af and a single parent and I just cannot be bothered to have an argument after work/school pick up.

Weekends Dd has a quick breakfast of cereal watching tv whilst I do all the housework/laundry for the weekend and week ahead then we have brunch and an evening meal. We have all meals at the table at the weekend unless we go out for lunch/dinner.

Dd has lovely table manners as I work in Michelin hospitality and I could never be a parent with one of those horror children that ruins everyone else’s meals. So she’s learnt to eat nicely when out and when we’re at home it’s pretty chill.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Families
owiz · 23/03/2023 16:58

Full time working household. Every night, lunches on the weekend too. Kids eat breakfast at the table everyday too although we only do on weekends.

Admittedly when they were much younger they ate at childcare most week evenings, but always at the when table at home.

Even pre kids DH and I have always ate at the table, I don't know why you'd do otherwise it's much more comfortable!

JennyDarlingRIP · 23/03/2023 16:58

Yes Friday to Sunday, Monday I work late but DH and DS have dinner together. Tuesdays and Thursdays DS eats at nursery and we eat later after he is in bed. Wednesday is similar but he eats with Grandma. We eat breakfast together every day. If DS is present we always eat at the table. DH and I do sometimes eat on the sofa when he's not around

Decafflatteplease · 23/03/2023 16:59

Absolutely yes, every night.

Occasionally will be without DH as he's working late.

It's really important to us, we have a no screens at the table rule and it's a chance for everyone to come back together after the day.

My DC think it's a massive treat if they get a TV dinner in school holidays 😂

JennyDarlingRIP · 23/03/2023 16:59

I do think there are probably a disproportionate number of people with space for a dining table/room on MN though

EmmaGrundyForPM · 23/03/2023 17:00

When the dc were young, always. No TV, no phones. As they got older, we didn't all manage to have dinner at the same time, but several times a week we ate as a family at the table.

DC are now adults and have left home, but DH and I still eat together at the table, no tv or phones. One or other of us is out 3 nights a week. Last night it was dh, playing club sport. I still ate at the table although did have my phone with me!

Rhombus79 · 23/03/2023 17:00

We also eat every meal at the kitchen table. Both my DP and I have grown up like that and prefer it that way. We both work from home which makes it easy. We also tend to eat the same food, so no extra 'kiddy' options for DS.

soffa · 23/03/2023 17:01

I also couldn't eat breakfast so early tbh.

I must live in an alternative universe because the vast majority of my colleagues including the parents eat breakfast at work.

WalkAwaySugarbear · 23/03/2023 17:02

All the time, it's one of the few times we get to sit and talk with each other. Were normally off in separate rooms. Occasionally we eat at different times, I don't have a TV in the dining room but the kids will bring their tablets in if they want to watch something. If we're eating together it's screen free though. Everyone gets to come up with their highs and lows of the day and it's nice to get a little insight. With a teen and tween, getting much out of them can be tough but this usually works.

RandomUsernameHere · 23/03/2023 17:02

Usually. Not always including DH as he works away part of the week.

BeatriceBatchelor · 23/03/2023 17:02

JennyDarlingRIP · 23/03/2023 16:59

I do think there are probably a disproportionate number of people with space for a dining table/room on MN though

Love your username 🙂

DeathWinsAGolfish · 23/03/2023 17:03

Eat all meals round the table, breakfasts are at different times, but who ever is in and up eats together.

Lunch and dinner always at the table as a family.

soffa · 23/03/2023 17:03

all meals are at the table though & no screens.

soffa · 23/03/2023 17:04

Lunch and dinner always at the table as a family.

What about school though? or are they homeschooled?

bigbluebus · 23/03/2023 17:04

Always did as a child. Always done it with my children. DS is living back at home now. He spends most of his time in his room when he's not at work (has FT job) but eats dinner with us every evening. DH and I still ate at the table when it was only the 2 of us.

MarquessofPembroke · 23/03/2023 17:04

Oh come on - I can't be the only one who fills the trough in front of the telly and everyone dives in ...

horseymum · 23/03/2023 17:05

Yes dinner every evening, occasional times maybe once a week one person isn't there but not every week. It's lovely to hear the chat and often a bit of mucking around afterwards together.

Lykia · 23/03/2023 17:05

Yes every evening with teen dc no phones, no tv no radio. Always have done. It's good to catch up with everyone.

DeathWinsAGolfish · 23/03/2023 17:06

@soffa, dinner is around 19:00 so home from school, if home lunch is at the table.

Chessetchelsea · 23/03/2023 17:06

No, because numerous activities after school mean we’re rarely all in at the same time. I try to encourage it for those who are around though!

Rhombus79 · 23/03/2023 17:07

JennyDarlingRIP · 23/03/2023 16:59

I do think there are probably a disproportionate number of people with space for a dining table/room on MN though

Well, you don't need a dining room to have a dining table. During university we lived in a tiny studio apartment, and even there we squeezed in a table for eating. Sometimes you just have to be creative.

DoNutSweatTheSmallStuff · 23/03/2023 17:07

Yes, every time if possible.

I think it's really important- social skills, table manners, dining etiquette, bonding, relationships, encouraging good food choices, no screens / other distractions, quality family time, good time to talk etc etc.

OriGanOver · 23/03/2023 17:08

Nope. I absolutely hate forced interaction round the table. Hate it! My dc eat wherever they chose too now they're older teens. I usually sit on the sofa watching netflix, sometimes they join me and sometimes they don't.