Do you eat meals with your dc?

[CloudAtlas]

Mine are still very small, oldest is 2.2, and I don't normally eat meals with them during the week. I don't fancy what they eat for lunch, and if they're having something like salmon, it seems a bit decadent for me to have the same iykwim. I tend to grab a cheese sandwich or toast when they go down for their sleep. They eat their dinner at 5pm, OH not back from work until much later so we eat together then.
Been thinking about it, and think I should make more of an effort to eat lunch with them.

What do you do?

During the daytime, I always sit at the table with GS whilst he has his lunch - even if I don't necessarily eat with him. Six days a week, we all eat dinner together, but on saturdays, we don't eat until GS is in bed - then we eat sat in front of the TV.

I always sit with them, just don't actually eat what they're eating during the week.

i eat lunch with my ds and we try to eat together as a family in the evenings if my dh is lucky and can leave work at a reasonable time. I really like eating together and my ds definitely eats more when others are eating with him! He is 14 mo btw [smie]

we eat breakfast together with DH
I eat lunch with the boys (Dh at work)
I eat a small portion with the boys at 5pm and then a very small portion with DH after the boys are in bed (unless Dh gets home early enough to join us)
At the weekend we do all 3 meals together.

DS is 8mo, I eat breakfast and lunch with him, not dinner as he's in bed.

I always eat with dd (23 months). Lunch between 12 and 1, and dinner at 6.

Dh is away during the week, so he doesn't figure, but eats with us on the days that he is here.

Dh leaves for works v early, s0o at breakfast it's me and the DC's and we all sit at the table and eat together.

Lunch it's just me and DS2. We eat at the table together, but usually I'm afraid we eat different foods.

Dinner 3 nights PW, DH makes sure he's home by 5:30 and we all eat together at the table. On the other weekday eve's DH and I eat together later and the DC's eat on their own, while I do jobs in the kitchen.

Big treat at the weekends is to have tea on our laps in front of the TV. Always a Sunday dinner at the table though.

When they were very small and Dh wasn't getting home so early, I used to do myself some of the same veg they were having and sit and eat that with them at 5pm, then have dinner with Dh once they were in bed. I figured it was good for me and set them a good example. Also, if I didn't eat something at that time of day, I was prone to stuff down whatever I could lay my hands on

I eat linch with DD when she is not in nursery and we eat together early when she is not in nursery and on Sundays, she does get a big cooked luinch when she is at nursery and njot usually that hungry in evenings. She does tend to eat better when we eat together

Yes I/we do.

I think that modelling good table manners (they are very complex when you start analysing them) and proper mealtime conversations can never start too soon.

Agree that children's food and adults' food isn't always compatible, though I try to ensure we eat the same meal most of the time.

all have breakfast together, her and i for lunch and all together for supper.

my dd is 3.5 and has fabulous table manners, everyone comments, she places napkin on knee and waits for everyone to start together, none of this imposed just observed by her.

i think they eat more if you sit with them.

hifi - well done

We were at POLs for dinner on Saturday and my daughter carefully helped herself to a napkin before taking a mini-quiche from the tray that was being passed around with drinks - and then she took a little bite out, and place the mini-quiche on the napkin on the side table [proud mummy emoticon]

at weekends we have lunch and supper together - dh and ds too slow in getting down for breakfast.. but have breakfast every day with ds. Usually sit with ds while he eats his tea on school days

I really don't get it why children must eat on their own in the evenings here in the UK. I understand if the reason is their partner comes in late.

I eat lunch everyday with my DD and she eats dinner with us every night at the table.

At the weekends ido but not generally in the week, i know i should but there dad not in till 6 so i like to get them fed and bathed for the night, so me and him can have tea in peace. kids usually really hungary by 6 anyway

yes!

we eat all meals together, sometimes w/o DH if he's working.

we eat the same thing for the most part, unless i'm enjoying a tasty, spicy dish they don't like.

Yes, as much as possible. I agree with Anna's first post.

yes, breakfast everyday. Lunch at w/e and when not at work/nursery. Sit down and talk to him when he has his tea in the evenings.

When was on maternity leave did lunch everyday as soon as ds had lunch. Worked out that lot better to eat a small portion of a "proper meal" than rushed sandwich and sheds loads of biscuits and crisps.

Not usually during week, it's just not possible. Dh is not here for breakfast, lunch or dinner (dc eat at 5.30/6). I get up before the dc do, so I have breakfast alone, and dd is at school so I eat lunch with ds.

But we do as far as possible at weekends and holidays. Some children will eat well if the family eats together, for some it makes hardly any difference.

Yes we do.

My mother always said, that a family that ate together, stuck together.

DH and I tend to skip breakfast.. bad I know.. but no time and we already get up at Dawn's crack.. (Poor Dawn!)and the kids eat it sort of relays in the order that they get to the kitchen..

Lunch is either at school or a casual carpet-picnic type affair at home on non-school days..

Dinner, 6 days out of 7, approx, is eaten altogether at the table at five ish. Sometimes, of a weekend, the younger ones will eat at five ish and DH, DS1 (15) and I will have a late supper (or sometimes a takeaway) together over a film when the little ones are in bed.

I also think it helps generally with their relationship with food if eating meals is a social thing. As well as modelling table manners, you can model how to eat - eg you stop eating when you are full, or you have more if you are still hungry etc. They get to learn through observation.

We don't always eat the same food though, but since dh is vegan, dd is veggie and I am neither, different meals are kind of inevitable sometimes.

dh in too late for ds to eat with us weekdays, though we generally eat together on Friday evenings

We eat all our meals together when at home, and usually the same food too, with a bit of variation depending on taste! I'm curious as to why you think having Salmon when your DCs are having it is decadent?

It is about 50/50 now. We eat dinner together some nights, other nights they have things they prefer whilst we have curry/lasagne later.

Dp is home too late for us to all eat together during the week and the DC eat at 4.30ish which is too early for me

But we always eat together at weekends and when we can during the week (ie, if DP is off) although i always make sure i sit down with them usually i just have a coffee while they eat but i still sit at the table with them and we discuss whats happened in our day

I think its important to have that time it encourages manners and importance of conversation, most of all i just like to hear what they have done!