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Original poster

Do you eat the same food at the same time as your children - everyday?

396 replies

McDreamyGonagall · 17/07/2007 11:22

This has got me thinking after reading another thread.

I really want to increase the amount of times we do this. DH prefers to eat later as he has quite a late lunch but I feel we are missing out on enjoying time with the children, teaching them manners etc.

We do eat with them 2 or 3 times a week, just not every night. Also I tend to cook something different on the nights we don't eat with them. What do you do?

OP posts:
HelenLoveJoyOfSpringfield · 17/07/2007 11:25

No.

Dh has breakfast at 6.30am.

Kids have theirs around 8am before school.

I have mine after the school run.

Dh has his lunch at 1pm at work.

Dd has hers at 12.00 in school.

Ds has his @ c/minders around 1pm.

I have mine either at home or uni around 1pm.

We all eat dinner together every evening at 5.30/6pm. Or if we're having something the kids don't like, or it's a special occasion, the kids will have something different.

Saturday, Sunday & summer holidays are different. The kids & I will have breakfast, lunch & dinner together. Dh is at work but he will have his evening meal with us when he gets home.

9/10 times we all eat the same for dinner.

meowmix · 17/07/2007 11:25

Yes, dinner at 7pm all 3 of us and breakfast with one parent, while the other one showers. At the w/e we cook "brunch" (ok toast) together too.

Original poster
McDreamyGonagall · 17/07/2007 11:26

How old are your children? Mine are 4 and 2.

OP posts:
oliveoil · 17/07/2007 11:27

3 days when I work, we eat at different times (5pm and 7pm ish)

Mon & Fri and all weekend, all eat together

I know which I prefer and it aint the latter

fingerwoman · 17/07/2007 11:28

yes, pretty much.
if dp doesn't get in from work then he has his later, which is a bit of a shame, but I tend to sit with him and have a cup of tea

JoolsToo · 17/07/2007 11:28

only when they visit

fingerwoman · 17/07/2007 11:28

ds is 2

meandmy · 17/07/2007 11:29

i try to aart from dp as he takes butties to work.
dd (13mo) likes to share and i enjoy sharing aswell.

foxinsocks · 17/07/2007 11:30

no, virtually never. Dh never home in time for the children's tea.

We have lunch together at the weekend in general - sometimes dinner together if the children are going to bed later than normal.

When dh is away, I tend to eat with the children just because it's easier.

Hassled · 17/07/2007 11:31

We all eat together at around 6.30. All eat the same except for ridiculously fussy DS2, who has pasta every time we're eating something he doesn't like, which is often. I freeze tiny individual amounts of my carrot and tomato sauce for his pasta nights - ridiculous, but it makes the eating together thing possible.

Rantmum · 17/07/2007 11:31

I eat with ds (2.5) every breakfast and lunch and we tend to eat the same thing, we don't eat dinner together during the week because I eat with my dh.

Dh does not get home til right before ds's bedtime (8pm)most nights.

On weekends we eat meals together. Breakfast lunch and dinner. It works for us because I am at home with ds. If we both were working, then things would have to function quite differently.

oliveoil · 17/07/2007 11:31

mine are 4 and 2 (nearly 3)

last night we had Shepherds Pie (fab Gordon Ramsey one) with cabbage and broc and peas

they moaned and moaned and moaned

I DONT WANT MASH PIE ON PLATE
I DONT WANT MASH PIE ON PLATE

dd2 said this for about 15 mins

foul

much more fun eating in peace when they are in bed

elliott · 17/07/2007 11:32

We eat together nearly every mealtime. Exceptions are when dh and I are going out or when we want to get a takeaway - so probably once a fortnight or so. I can't really be bothered making two meals. My kids are 5 and 3.

Staceym11 · 17/07/2007 11:32

We do it most nights, prob dotn about once every 2 weeks...thats normally if we have takeaway so dd has ravioli or similar!

breakfast is mix and match and dd and ds have lunch together but it depends what im doing to when i sit down (if i sit down) to eat!

ejt1764 · 17/07/2007 11:32

I'm talking evening meals here:

Mon - Thurs & Sat & Sun - we all eat the same meal together - usually at about 6pm - unless dh is late from work (he does a lot of site work, so doesn't get back until 8-9pm).
Mind you, even if dh is late back, he stills eats the same as us, as I plate up his meal for when he gets home.

Friday night - ds (4 1/2) has a choice of what he wants - usually pizza or fish-fingers in pitta bread with spaghetti - dh & I have a take-away!

Before ds was born, we usually didn't eat until 8.30 - 9pm - but we've found it much more sensible in terms of not snacking on crap, to eat earlier with ds.

Don't know how the routine is going to vary when lo is born (due in October) - will have to see ....

kneazlechick · 17/07/2007 11:33

We eat breakfast and lunch together. We live on the farm where dh works so he comes home for these 2 meals everyday.

Evening meal is different. We only eat together on special occasions as dd is only 16mo so eats around 5.30 and we eat after she is in bed. Dh doesn't get home until after 6.00 which is too late for dd to have her tea. I always sit with her while she eats.

saltireslytherin · 17/07/2007 11:33

We aet togehter most night, DH now gets home later - about 6pm, but we all eat together. They 9the DSes) have their breakfast together, as DH has his before he goes to wrok, and I ahve mine when I get back from school run. At the weekends we often eat lunch togehter, although we tend to go out

meowmix · 17/07/2007 11:35

my ds is nearly 4. He has a lunchbox for school. I don't eat lunch and DH usually just snacks on something.

He has always had the same as us since about 2 yo and is very good about food (except mushrooms and mustard)

hurricane · 17/07/2007 11:37

Yes. We take it in turns to get up with dds but one of us will always sit down to breakfast with them. We're all at school/ nursery/ work for lunch but we always eat tea together and every meal at the weekend except when dp and I go out together alone.

bozza · 17/07/2007 11:38

We used to do but it is starting to get more complicated. Tonight DS has his swimming lesson at 5.30 so will have a sandwich beforehand at his childminder's, DD will insist she has had her tea at nursery (3.30 far too long to last until breakfast at 7.10 IMO and why she is often grumpy before breakfast), DH is away and so I will be alone after the DC have gone to bed. Tomorrow DH will still be away, DS has football 6-7 so I will give him a sandwich after I get home from work. DD might want a sandwich too because she likes them. I will again eat after they have gone to bed. Thursday DH, DS and I will eat together at about 6. As we did all over the weekend and on Monday.

I do not cook different things for different people though. It is just sandwiches for DS for quickness and also not too heavy on his stomach before his sporting activities.

Clary · 17/07/2007 11:39

I always think people who eat with the kids every night must have a different schedule to us (ho doubt they do, but YKWIM).
One of us does the school pick up every day, I realise we are lucky, but the pay-off as a rule is that the other one finishes work late-ish that day.

So for eg Monday DH is off but I work till 5, get home at 5.30 ish and take DS1 to Beavers - so they have to have eaten.

Similar sort of thing other days. Sometimes on a Friday I am dishing up after dance class so 6pm and DH comes in and has some, but that's early for him to be home and late IMHO for the kids.

so no, we only eat together at the weekends. I guess it's just how it is. If one partner is at home and the other works will 5 and gets home in 15 mins and the kids aren't doing something else that evening that means they need to dash out of the door at 5pm....then I guess it's easier for some.

You see meowmix, no way could we all eat at 7pm. Waaaaay too late for my 3 and besides they're supposed (note supposed) to be in bed by then.

francagoestohollywood · 17/07/2007 11:40

yes we do. Once a week, I might cook something different for me and dh, but on average we eat the same thngs at the same time.

bozza · 17/07/2007 11:40

Dh always eats breakfast with the DC unless he is working away. I do if I am not working - when I am working I buy toast at work. I don't think we are too long off them being able to get their own breakfast at weekends. Only thing is DD has hers warmed in the microwave. DS started doing it last week and I laid in bed listening to the microwave beeps and counting them. But then I got up and went and checked. How do I know he has pressed the 10 secs button 5x and not the 10 mins one?

Original poster
McDreamyGonagall · 17/07/2007 11:42

Yes this is one of my problems too. During term time DD is in bed by 6pm!! (she starts school at 07:30am) so we have to eat at 5pm (at the latest).

OP posts:
francagoestohollywood · 17/07/2007 11:42

Yes, I think we have a different schedule, we have dinner at seven, we are not English, and this thing about having a meal at 5.30 /6 is still quite puzzling for me

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