Does anyone else's toddler eat with them at around 6.30ish?

[Gateau]

My DH doesn't get in until this time, so it has just evolved that this is the time we all eat tea. (my DS is 20 months).
And I must admit, we like it like this, although it does mean DS doesn't go to bed until 8-8.30 or even later.
But we seem to be the only ones who do this. Most people I know feed their kids at 5-5.30pm and then eat their meal afterwards when they are in bed. But this just doesn't seem to work for us. That said, I am thinking of changing the routine as lately DS is just not going to bed until about 10.30! I am worried he is not getting a proper wind-down before bed-time.
Does anyone do similiar to me?

I tried a while ago to stagger my 3 yr old's dinner so that he could have it with us, but he just got overtired. Since we've gone back to 5.30pm dinner for him, he sleeps better and behaves better.

I would like us to all sit down together and eat of an evening, but I don't think that's going to happen for a few years yet, to be honest.

my DS's eat dinner betweeen 6 and 6.30 (or on some days closer to 7 )

DS2 and 3 (the toddler) then go to bed at 8pm - works fine for us.

I am interested to see what people do! I was feeding DS at five then DH and I were having our tea at seven once he was in bed. Was thinking we should start to eat together at about six. We never ate together as children and I really want us to do that but perhaps it is early days yet.

my dd3 (aged 3) eats with us between 6.30 and 7 then has bath and bed by 8.30

we have always had family meals one way or another and it suits us, dd is 3.7 and goes to bed between 8-9 dinner any time between 6.30-7.30

We all eat together at 6 and then they are all in bed by 7.30. Aged 11,8,4 and 2. They are all fine with it.

You eleven year old is in bed at 7 30? Poor kid!

Hoorah, someone else like me. Everyone I know feeds the children early, I dont understand as it twice the mess and tidying up. Admittedly it would be nice to have meal in peace but it doesnt work like that in our house! They end up on our knees anyway!

I work full time and by the time we are home and have prepared dinner it is at least 6.30 by the the time we eat. We usually eat together as a family (me, DH, DS1 (almost 4) and DS2 (18 months). DS1 goes to bed around 8 and DS 2 just before that - on a good night that is!

I was in bed at 7.30 when I was 11. I needed 11.5 hours sleep. Used to read for 30 mins then fall asleep.

Everyone laughed at me in French class when I was 12 or 13 and I said 'je me couche à 8h'!

DD is now 7 and she has always had her evening meal with us at about 7pm. Of course, that means she goes to bed late (compared to her peers) but she sleeps well too - she's never been a 5am kind of gal. We never wanted to do that separate meals thing and we certainly didn't want her to be in bed before her dad got home in the evening.

It works for us.

Gateau, we often eat together between 6.30 and 7.30 and it has mostly been this way except when naps were just given up and DCs needed an earlier tea.

My DD (4) has always eaten dinner with us, at around 8pm.

We do. Dinner at 6-6.30, DD (2) goes to bed at 8-8.30.
Time-wise, it might not be ideal, but I think it's nice for us all to eat as a family. We get to chat over dinner and I am hopeful that seeing us eat encourages DD to try more things. Also, I have NO intention of cooking twice.

DD does normally have a small-ish dinner and eats a bigger meal at lunchtime.

Also, DH goes to college two evenings a week and on these days DD and I normally eat earlier (5.30ish) and if I'm lucky she doesn't notice that I put her to bed earlier too!

Thanks everyone. I might keep it as it is then.
Possibly where we are going wrong is AFTER the meal when we're not doing a proper bed-time.
So my next question is: what is your bedtiem rountine AFTER tea, in order to get them into bed for say, 8pm?

i hate eating my main meal with my kids more than once or twice a week.

Yes - as a lone parent would be ridiculous for me to serve DS his food and then sit down an hour later to eat alone!

we've always eaten together. dp gets in some time between 5 and half past and we eat anywhere from 5.30 to 7 depending on how organised i've been toddler rarely sleeps before 9 tbh no matter when we eat. 5 year old gets to bed some time between 7 and 8. i love having family meals and i think it's particularly important wrt food issues, fussiness etc. that you all sit down together and eat the same thing.

Same as Bonsoir, we always all have our meals together with DH and DCs(9/12-71/2-4-2years old) but they do have a little snack after school, toast or biscuit or fruit and milk.

We've always had dinner at 6-6.30 (more like 7 these days). No bath after supper, but a story and maybe some lullabyes when they were little; now it's just a story.

another one here we eat at about 6- 6.30 and dd is still in bed by about 7.30!

Works for us, although sometimes she is a bit over tired and she will have her tea earlier and me and dp will eat once she is in bed

would love to eat all together. DDs just too hungry too early for us.
They (5 and 7) eat at 5-5.30pm and both asleep by 7.30pm at the latest. At the moment they are so tired they are asking for bed from about 6pm. I do stay with them while they eat though so we are together to chat.

We eat later at about 8-9pm when kids in bed. Gives me time to clear up, prep for the next day, make our dinner and relax.

We eat together at weekends

Totally agree Laugs: I also love the 'eat together' bit and have never had the inclination to cook and clear up twice. I have always felt that feeding DD earlier would make mealtimes into more of a chore. And that goes against the grain for us, as we are very much a 'foodie' couple.

Am in dilemma bout bedtime - trouble is she has special needs and would stay up til early hrs every night no problems. Whatever time she goes to bed she then takes up to 2 hrs to settle so if we left it any later she would still be up and down til 11 or 12 o'clock. And if she styas up late then the next one will say he should be up ;later than the little ones etc etc and bedtime would last forever!

My best evenings are when DD has a snack after school (a banana and a drink, usually) and a play and then bath and pyjamas and a DVD while I am preparing supper. That way she is ready for bed whenever she feels tired after supper - she only has to brush teeth, do a wee and wash her hands before popping into bed for a story.

I don't see hwo being a "foodie" makes a difference. In fact more - often kids wouldnt eat what adults want to eat - so then you are cooking twice.
Or don't tell me... your kid eats everything.