Does your father / husband sit at the head of the table?

[Orchidgal]

Wondering how common it still is for the male ‘head of the household’ to sit at the head of the table.

YANBU= yes he does
YABU = no (or sometimes / not deliberately)

We're philistines and eat on the sofa (just the two of us though).

I don't know how you work out which end is the head of the table, assuming it's rectangular. Is it defined to be the head of the table because the person considered to be most important is sitting there? In that case, still, how do you know?

We sit wherever is convenient. DD is smaller than DH or I, so she sits in the place which is hard to get into and out of, for example.

I don't know how you work out which end is the head of the table, assuming it's rectangular. Is it defined to be the head of the table because the person considered to be most important is sitting there? In that case, still, how do you know?

The head has a captain's chair and a heavenly glow.

My Dad does.

DH doesn't. We alternated child-adult when they were little so there was less fighting and always someone to help when needed, so now DD2 sits at the "head" of the table.

If it's the extended family then my gm would to fit a suitable chair.

Nope.

In India the ends of the table are for female hosts to sit after they’ve finished serving everyone else.

No. And I wouldn't be impressed by any man who demanded that.

MY FIL always sat at the head of the table . We like @Coffeeandcrocs have a round table . sorted

We have a rectangular table. Which end is the head? We have an end each. The children sit beside me, ds chooses to sit opposite dd. She sits beside me because I share my food with her.

No! I'd never really thought about it at home. Our toddler sits at head of table, and then our other table there isn't room for someone at the "head". If I was hosting a dinner party, we would put our dad(s) at the head usually because there's more space or one of them lipreads so is able to follow the conversation better if sat at the head

We have a rectangular table to it has two heads.

That sounds more sensible.

No. I'm another one with the youngest child at the head of the table because it's where the high chair fitted best when he was a baby. The rest of us chop & change where we sit depending on who's is cooking/ more likely to need a quick exit etc.

He sits at one end, not sure if it’s the head or the foot of the table! He sits there because behind his chair is a one foot drop and if the kids were there they would
probably push their chair back and fall off on a regular basis. You might decide he is a misogynist for sitting there but he sits there for safety.

Yes, because he’s the largest and needs more space.

DD sits at the head of the table as it’s the best place - it’s the usual approach to everything at our household.

Same here! Although older siblings have now decreed that that's the "bum" of the table rather than the head 😁

No. And DF didn't when I was growing up either. DM would have died laughing if anyone had suggested he was 'head of the household'

Rectangular tables and everyone sits / sat on the long edges.

If we go out to dinner with DGM she sits at the head, but that's because she's a) in a wheelchair and b) deaf, so she can hear better if she's facing everyone.

Interesting (and heartening!) to hear that most don’t!

My dad does, and so does my uncle. I remember when I was little grandad used to and he got a fancy chair as well! My brother and BIL don’t though.
Was slightly surprised when was laying the table at a friend’s recently and was told her DH sits ‘at the head of the table’. She is early 30s like me. So it set me wondering.

Yes he does. It just makes the most sense as it's the seat with the most room and he's the biggest.

Interestingly, in my parent’s and uncle’s home, the head of the table is the end furthest from the door. It was like that in Upstairs Downstairs too, if I recall. I don’t know if that’s a thing or just coincidence. Probably the latter!

DH and I sit at the ends and the DC and any visitors at the sides of our rectangular table. Don't think I've ever been at a house where that isn't the case.

Sensible that the female has to serve everyone else? The males of the family don't participate? I thought that the MN position is that the males have to do their share?

DH does currently, but only because elder DD has restless legs and was constantly kicking me, so now DD sits at the long side with no-one opposite and DH sits at the short end. I really like my spot, near the kitchen but with my back to the wall.

I don't like the idea of two carver chairs and 4/6/8 whatever number of regular dining chairs. All guests are equal at our table, where they are seated takes into account any mobility issues and my need to work around them in a small space.