Eat with kids vs eat with DP??

[zazas]

OK so do you eat with the kids so you have a 'family' meal together and install 'table manners' and make sure they eat etc OR do you wait until DP comes home and eat around 7.30pm so you two can have quality time together??????? By the way if I sit with them and don't eat - I ALWAYS eat some of theirs which is doing the waist no good!

When children were smaller we ate together.

Now DH and I eat in another room at the same time

Oldest 18 yrs, youngest 12 yrs and they want peace to watch the Simpsons, something I said I would never allow when they were small. No TV at meal times - now I couldn't give a toss!

DS eats at 5pm, DH comes home about 6.30-6.45pm, DS in bed at 7pm (on the dot), DH & I eat about 7.30-8pm.

In the OP situation I would eat with DD, and then have a drink and chat whilst DH ate. And then would eat as a family whenever possible such as weekends.

DH currently gets in at 6:30pm and we always eat as a family together. I think it is important for us to do this.

definitely with dh

why on earth would you want to eat with your kids

I think children learn how to eat properly, to try and taste more foods and just develop better table manners if you eat with them. It is also a chance for us to catch up on each other's day and to talk with DD without other distractions. We are lucky enough to eat together the majority of the time though.

We do occasionally eat with them (at the weekend, in restaurants, at friends houses) but tbh they seem to 'get' table manners while I tidy the kitchen giving them constant gentle reminders ().

I love my dh's conversation too much to want to miss out on it.

We eat together as a family most of the time. DH generally home at about 6.00 - 6.30 and the kids are used to waiting around until then for their food. (They generally have a snack of fruit or toast or something after school to keep them going).

If DH isn't going to be home by then, I eat with the kids and then DH has his when he comes in.

On Friday and Saturday nights, I eat with DH later - usually have a curry or chilli con carne (DH makes an excellent chilli) or a takeaway and a nice bottle of wine. The kids eat earlier.

Enid, that's such a nicei thing to osay about your Dh!

Am .

reading it back it sounds a bit smug

what I mean is I have a newborn baby and by the time all three kids are in bed/sleeping I am desperate for some time with dh

and he does make me laugh

It didn't sound smug at all!

We eat together four nights out of seven and alone three. It's a good balance - mainly because dp and I can have spicier food when the kids aren't eating with us! I do really enjoy family mealtimes though and would have them more often if the working week allowed it.

When we eat with the kids dp and I make a point of having a glass of wine together when the kids are in bed to catch up properly.

prefer to eat with dc. Comes to the table when I call, nicer table manners and we have an actual conversation.

we always eat as a family at 5:30, every day. its a nice way to catch up on wht we have all been doing that day

Even though we don't eat alone, DH and I do chat together regardless when DD is bed, and before too.

To be completely honest I would much rather eat completely alone and not at the table I like peace and quiet, and to read and slurp my soup or whatever and not worry about it.

But 90% of the time I am well-behaved and sit with either ds or dp. Dp is at home at 5.30pm, 4 days a week, so we all eat together on those days. On the remaining 3, ds will sometimes wait and have dinner with us at 6.30, and sometimes eat by himself.

It all sounds very civilised but I must also confess that when I sit down with ds at breakfast and lunchtime, he usually has a story tape and I usually have Mumsnet

Much as i think eating with them benefits my children, would have to say that the fact that I so rarely eat with my dh is detrimental to our relationship. A friend's mother used to say "Eat together, stay together". I can see why this might well be true. The chance for communication in our house is, i feel ,lost once dh sits down to eat at the table and turns on the kitchen TV. Should get rid of kitchen tv, i know, but when the football is on it comes into its own...

Can you ever get it right for everyone???

I generally eat with the children for every meal they are at home for. Its our time for catching up on the days events/school etc, the good and the bad stuff. I think it encourages the children to eat more grown up food and take turns in conversation and generally have better table manners. I make up a plate of food for dh for when he comes in and then we chat while he eats after the kids have gone to bed. Besides it's much better for the waistline to have finished eating by 7pm. More room for the vino!!

Oh God, the reading and eating days....I miss those! Or a take away in front of the TV. Still occasionally do the latter, if dd has friends to supper earlier, but a) dh likes eating at table and b) dd doesn't need any encouraging to sit and eat in front of the TV.

F&Z, you have made me all nostalgic....might have to plot a solitary mealtime now...

hmc I logged off before. I meant opposite of you on children/food threads. Haven't noticed it in other arenas at all.

Dp's often not home until gone 9pm so dd and I eat dinner together quite often. When we're all home we all sit together whereas when it's just dd and I we sometimes sit at the table and sometimes sit on the sofa with a 'picnic' style meal on our knees or eat out in the park. Anything to make it fun really.

Elibean, I am sitting on the sofa by myself eating right now :) It is often Fridays that I beg to be allowed not to sit at the table.

It's so slovenly :o

OMG, I'm so jealous! Fish and chips with dd and dh was good, but I might just have to have a second supper tout de seul later on....