to think it is just not necessary to have a dining table anymore?

[LDNmummy]

Traditionally it has always been the look of a good home to have a dining table, preferably with its own area/ room in a house for family gatherings.

But, with modern life as it is, I just don't think it is necessary to have one anymore, unless of course you genuinely use it at least once a week. But do most families anymore?

I don't know many families who still go through the process of sitting around the dining table every weekend let alone every day, possibly for the fact that it is a little extra effort people are not as formal about anymore and sitting together doesn't have to be around a table but even just in the living room watching the telly together IYSWIM.

Plus, houses are not always big enough to accomodate a large family sized table and some may just feel it isnt worth the hassle to cram one in.

I also think this about the large cabinets that traditionally housed all a households fine dining wear that would come out on special occasions.

Aren't these bulky pieces of furniture that take up lots of space and are rarely used outdated now except with older people?

My MIL has a six seater table in the living room that could easily fit eight diners but is used properly about once a year. Half the reason for that is that it is too big and has to be crammed against a wall so isnt convenient to sit around daily or even weekly anyway. She also has a very large display cabinet full of her best dining wear wich is only used when special guests such as family travelling from abroad are visiting, which is rarely.

She is about 60 and in her eyes these two items of furniture are essential to beautify a home as well as for practical reasons, which IMO is questionable. My DM and all the older women in my family feel the same way.

But isnt this just all outdated and unecessary faff a house can do without in a time when people are no longer as formal when it comes to situations such as dining?

We don't have a dining room but have a large kitchen table so we eat there most of the time, sometimes in front of TV when feeling lazy. It's also used for homework,crafts, jigsaws, paperwork and storing crap on.

We use a table twice a day, every day.

It's not formal, it's everyday life.

We use our table for at least twice, if not three times everyday...

Do you teach your kids to eat on their lap!?

The table is central to our family life.

oh, it's zombie thread and to think I got my knickers in a right old twist.

Oops!

pants - just wrote a long post then noticed it is a zombie thread.

I wish that warning would stay up for longer.

I've just found myself under my very first name from 5 years ago near the beginning of the thread! It's the only reason i noticed it was a zombie.

And i still agree with myself from 5 years ago too. We use our table every day. Wouldn't be without it (like worra we shag on the corner of ours on occasion too )(big strong table).

Me too :)

And most importantly, 2016 me agrees with 2011 me.

We have a formal dining table which seats six in a separate dining too and a 4seater table in the kitchen for day to day meals.

I would agree that many new build homes aren't large enough for a large formal table - but where a home us, I think it's nice Tigard a table where the family can gather over a meal.

It''s a lovely way of socialising little ones, spending time with your teenagers over a meal. It helps encourage good manners and teaches children how to interact around the table without the need for constant entertainment. I think eating whilst eating any meal is anti- social. I've had friends who struggled to get their children ready for school because they ate breakfast in front of the TV - sloppy and lazy parenting in my opinion.

sauvignon Blanche ..Stop me if you think you heard this one before!

I've read a few old threads, been nodding my head in total aggreement at a post, to then realise it's me under an old name.

We have an extendable 6 seater table. We use it every night to eat together as a family. I hate eating with a plate on a tray/on my lap.

Gosh 😮 YABU...... We use our table for every meal, every day! I can't imagine letting my DS eat his dinner off his lap. 😳

My husband and I are guilty of eating on our laps in front of the TV, but we have a dining table and use it for larger family meals and holidays.
It should be part of the many responsibilities of a parent to teach children how to sit properly at a table, use a knife and fork, have a mealtime conversation and have good table manners.

Ok I got to page 10 but haven't read tht. I think the OP was very patient (all those years ago) with all those judgy responses! My dh and I always ate decent meals late in front of the TV before our dc. Since the first of three dc was born 11 years ago we have eaten as a family round the table every day. We attempt to talk about our days and attempt to teach our children manners. It has completely ruined meal times for me. What is so pleasurable about eating facing children who play with their food all the time, moan about what they're eating and share nothing about their day but instead want to talk about some totally inane app they found during their very limited tablet time? We also have a toddler so half our time is spent trying to keep his dinner on the table. I absolutely agree that it's good to eat meals together round the table but cannot agree that it's enjoyable.

We have a dining room but we sometimes eat in the lounge or in the garden. Wherever we eat, the tv or radio is always turned off and we talk.

We eat every meal at the dining table...can't imagine anything else.

I have a 4 seater dining table in my kitchen that is used every day. We eat in front of the tv on a takeaway night on a Friday but we use it all the time.

We have a large kitchen/diner with an extending table. We eat at it every single day. We've never eaten on across in front of the tv.

Our kids are now late teens. Eating together for 30 minutes every evening is about the only family time we have. It's great.

I use mine for every meal every day. Except maybe one evening every week or so when DH and I will watch tv while we eat.
We have a kitchen diner and it takes no time to 'set table'. Chuck cutlery and glasses on table. Dish up in kitchen. Walk a few steps with plates it's actually harder to eat anywhere else as you have to carry everything further and end up balancing stuff in arms of sofa/floor/the piles of crap on the coffee table.
And where else would people eat breakfast?

I would never want a flat or house without a kitchen or dining table!

Only me and DP, and if he isn't in I probably 90% of the time eat in front of the TVs. When we eat together probably 90% at the table.

DP and I (no children at home) eat at the kitchen table 99% of the time. Special meals with guests are in the dining room, which is generally where we both use laptops and I do music stuff. V occasionally we eat in front of telly, but I don't enjoy it, it's uncomfortable and inconvenient.

My only non-negotiable requirement when house hunting was a separate dining-room. Once that is missing, the slippery slope starts.

At first I thought you meant dining Room table. We do not have a formal dining room so no formal dining room table. Up it suits us fine because all our family is out of town so we don't need it for the holidays, it's just us.

But then I realized you meant a Kitchen table as well. Well I use mine most every day! Ds does his homework there, we eat dinner on it most nights. About once a week on the weekend we'll eat in front of the tv. But I'd be lost without my kitchen table.

We have a large table and use it every day. We mostly have atleast 1 meal together I think it's important in teaching children good manners, how to use cutlery etc. We do also eat in front of the to if it is sandwiches but we couldn't live without our table.