To let my dc eat on the sofa?

[Pinkwintersocks]

We eat all our main meals at the table, so lunch and dinner are always eaten at the table together ,even if we get fish and chips we all sit at the table. If we have eggs for breakfast at the weekend or bacon sandwiches we eat at the table. The only exception to this is if I'm at home alone I would eat a sandwich in front of the tv.

But for breakfast in the week we often all eat at different times and it's just toast or a bowl of porridge, I don't mind if they eat in front of the tv, or if it's just a quick snack after school of toast or crackers or fruit, I'll let them eat on the sofa.

I think it's because I feel tired and lazy at those times, I find it hard to eat breakfast as it is so like to curl up under a blanket with my coffee and porridge, watching the news, so why wouldn't they?

Dh doesn't like it and moans about it. I grew up in a house where we are all our meals on our laps, and although I wouldn't do that now I wonder if I'm being a slob. Dh would have us sit at the table at all times no exceptions.

I should say I don't always eat breakfast in front of the tv, just really these cold dark early mornings when we're all eating different times.

I don't see any problem with eating on the sofa. We are the same, meals at the table snacks and brekkie wherever you like. Depends how messy the food is though!

They obviously know how to sit and eat at a table, so nothing wrong with breakfast on the sofa.

I see nothing wrong with it either. I don't think I'd fancy living some place to regimented I couldn't eat a bowl of cereal or a sandwich on the sofa. He sounds very uptight. Is there other areas he is like this, or has he just got some sort of weird thing about sofa eating?

We do the same - main meals at the table but breakfast on the sofa!

My husband prefers the kids to eat at the table, because crumbs but I’m not sitting them at the table each time they have a biscuit! We have meals at the table mostly, but I’m happy to ignore my husband here and let them have an afterschool snack in the living room!

Is he worried about crumbs?
I dont like crumbs myself and bits on carpets.
I'd let them eat on the sofa but they have to tidy up after themselves which includes hoovering if they leave a mess.

Oh well glad it's not just me then.

I don't know what dhs problem is, probably because he prefers to sit at the table he thinks everyone else should be the same, and probably the mess, but it's only a few crumbs if that.

I agree with your dh. Isn't it just asking for extra housework? It isn't just crumbs (which are a sod to get out of gaps in sofas) but spilt milk if it's cereal.

Plus I am a snob and it just looks wrong

Not really any extra mess.

They'd leave crumbs on the table with toast anyway so I'd still have to clear up. If anything they're extra careful eating on the sofa. Never had a porridge spillage but weetabix would be eaten at the table because that is messy.

It's only really toast, biscuits and fruit that get eaten on the sofa.

Have throws on the sofa which get washed regularly and have a handheld vacuum.

We wouldn't eat say a bowl of Rice Krispies on the sofa because yes the milk would be slopping everywhere.

Dh actually make more mess leaving coffee rings on every surface because he won't use a coaster and melted chocolate when he has his chocolate at night and drops it! But that's another thread.

Get trays, then they capture any mess. Life's too short to be rigid about where you eat..everyone should be comfy. Main meals, fine at the table, but anything else,they should be able to eat on the sofa. Even occasional dinner on sofa ie pizza or something.

Bean bag lap trays - I wouldn't be without mine!
www.amazon.co.uk/Cushioned-Children-Laptray-Beanbag-Ladders/dp/B074P3HJJ1?tag=mumsnetforum-21

We have all food and drink at the table. The table is a wipeable surface with Lino underneath. The sofa on the carpet is not.

If my dc/dp are going to eat in front of the TV they have to sit on the floor I have a new beige couch so I don't want anyone to sit on it crumbs

We eat mostly at the table for meals.
If we do eat in front of tv it's coz we've ordered take away. Ds2 has to sit on a towel on the floor because he makes an abnormal amount of mess. He's 7

We don't have a table. All meals are eaten on the sofa. Floor is wood, sofa is leather and the kids have little tables to put their plates on. No one has died from it yet.

We don't have a table. All meals are eaten on the sofa. Floor is wood, sofa is leather and the kids have little tables to put their plates on. No one has died from it yet.

We were the same until recently when I bought at a table to do work out.

Here is a shocking one for mumsnet ( currently staying with parents we sometimes eat on the bed upstairs as when my sister is over with the kids there is no place left to sit and it’s better than the floor. Also sometimes I like to eat in peace too up there.

Shocking eh

Nobody has died from this either.

• bought a table to work at

We eat all meals on the sofa (although kids sometimes like to sit on the rug in front of the radiator at breakfast time)

We are not lucky enough to have enough room for a table.

Kids only eat and drink at the table in our house. They still make too much mess, drop things, spill things for eating anywhere else to be practical.

Get him a really good hoover for his birthday. Job done.

YANBU. I let mine have say a biscuit or some crisps or fruit on the sofa.

As long as they use a plate and sit properly.

We don't have a dining table (no room). Sofa here

I am quite surprised at how many people don't have room for a dinining table.

Not that it's a terrible thing but it must be invonvenient at times.

Where do your kids do crafts etc?