What time do you feed DC dinner?

[okaythensure]

We have two DC 4/6.

We've always had dinner as a family at 4/4:30 and then DC have a snack at 6ish and bed for 7:30.

I'm beginning to think this model no longer works.

DC are home from school at 3:30 and starving so they have. A snack but then don't really eat their dinner.

Just wondering what others do?

Hi

Ours is other way around, we have a light stack around 4ish and then dinner at half 5/6.

I do give another snack or cereal before bed if they're hungry again before bedtime (half 7ish)

Similar age here. We do a light snack after school, usually fruit. Then dinner at 5/6ish, bed at 7ish. DH and I eat dinner later.

Dd is 7, we do snack at 3:45ish, then dinner about 6pm. Shes in bed for 7:30 most nights.

We never managed eating as a family on schoolnights until eldest was in secondary. Kids were fed about 5pm, edging a bit later as they got older.

DD5. Home from school after after school club for supper at 1700. Bath at 1800, bed at 1830. DH and I eat later (1945 ish).

Mine are much younger (2 1/2 and 7months) but we all eat together around 7. Both me and my DH did the same growing up and valued that time as a family to talk about our days. DC in bed around 8. Time we’ve cleaned up we’re sitting down for an evening together at reasonable time. It may have to change when the boys are older but I hope not.

We eat as a family at 7:30pm, kids in bed 9:30pm. I give them a snack at about 5pm and that tides them over. We're in Asia though where it is the norm for children to stay up later so I don't think this is very normal timing in the UK (DCs are 2 and 4).

5.30ish-6. They didn't get back from school til after 4, and I'd have a little snack for them when I collected. If nice spend 20 minutes in the school playground.
Tried to get any schoolwork out of the way then they could chill while I cooked their supper. Then up to do the bath routine for bed by 8. Husband didn't come home til 7.30-8ish so just intime to read a story.

Ours are 5 and 2. Snack time is around 3-4pm depending on school/nap for the younger one etc. Dinner around 6pm.

My toddler eats at 4.15/4.30 because she is in bed by 6pm. On the weekend we might eat together at 5 and forgo a bath or have a mid-afternoon Sunday lunch

We did snack after school then dinner at 6/6.30 as we ate together, I think it's so important to eat as a family

We eat as a family at 6pm every day of the week! We eat at the table

We always did snack after school and DC had dinner at 6. DH would never be able to finish work early enough for that time, so we waited until DC was about 10 before we ate dinner together at 7:30

Ours is getting later these last few months. Kids 9, 6 and 2. Used to have snack (numerous snacks actually) after school (3:30) and then dinner at 5. Bath at 5:30 bed at 6 for the baby. Bath at 6 bed at 7 (6yo) and 7:30 (9yo). One of us would go downstairs and start adult dinner at bedtime which really worked, I need some headspace at that time!

Oh also on nursery days the baby has main meal at lunch, tea at 4 and then may or may not have some dinner with the older ones. Just got to be flexible really! Rigid ‘we always have dinner at 6 as a family on the dot’ just does not work for our schedule. DH is often still at work at 6.

Lately just with life (clubs get later as they get older, who knew 😄), lighter evenings etc we’ve started:

Snacks after school - I actually try and prepare something and present it etc but they also inevitably go for less wholesome things too. Lots of snacks.

Dinner between 5 & 6. I try and light a candle and have started reading aloud to the kids at that time. Sounds wanky but we’re reading kids classics and it’s really changed the game - they’re sitting nicely and for longer, it’s actually peaceful, and they’re eating more.
Baby to bed at 7, 6 yo 7:30 (out like a light) and 9 yo to bed at 8 and reads until 9 sometimes.
Now in a bit of flux about when/if the grown ups eat as I am not hungry for dinner at 5/6 but by the time the eldest is in bed at 8 it’s too late for me.

The big kids are just playing hungry hippos, I’m about to go and listen to Yoto Daily with them, do teeth, and the middle child will be asleep in about 10 mins time. Then will go and chat to oldest and put him in bed.

Oh and the big kids will have cereal before bed. They get it themselves. Omg, the relief after years of waiting on them 😄

Usually at 6ish by that age.
However that's when the extra curricular clubs started to kick in, so it became quite movable... after an Earlish club, or before a latish club.

Mine Usually have a snack when they first come in, then tea around 6. On nights they have activities, they have a lighter tea before (4.30/5.00) and a snack/supper when they come in.

Fruit and yogurt straight after school (maybe a few crackers). Dinner anywhere between 04.30pm - 05.30pm depending on what we’re having. Works for us but like you, I would adjust if I found it wasn’t working anymore.

Mine are 6 and 8. Normally they have snacks as soon as they get home from school (about 3.15) and then we eat dinner as a family usually somewhere between 5.30 and 6.30. Youngest in bed about 7.30.

Some nights have a different routine due to clubs or work schedules etc. Tonight was swimming at 6.15 so the kids got an easy early dinner at 5 and DH and I are eating now (8pm ish) as DH wasn’t home before 6.

Dinner 4pm. Supper 6pm.

5pm, kids are 2 and 5.

5:30 at that age, moving to 7pm at 6 & 8 where it has stayed ( now 17 &19) I ate at 7 as a child, it's just dinner time to me. 5:30 is " kids tea". Both were going to bed at 8 by 6.

Dinner at 3.30/4pm most nights and snack around 7, between them all there's usually a sporting activity most nights between 6-7, dh and I eat later, kids are aged 5, 9,11

Snack at 3:30, dinner at 6.

I don't know how everybody gets their kids to bed so early.

I don't get home from work till around 5:45. Dinner maybe 6/15ish.

They relax, play for a bit. We do try and start pjs /teeth brushing as early as we can but they don't want to go to bed so they use all kind of distraction techniques to delay it.

On a good night, they are asleep by 8. On a bad night, 9.

They are 4 and 7

Oh and they have activities 3 nights a week which can make things harder. They also don't have a bath every night as there's just not enough hours in the day.