Do you eat dinner with your children?

[Gillian76]

Until now we normally feed the children around 5 and have our own dinner later. I have been reading a really interesting book about children's eating habits and the author is quite adamant that children should eat with their parents if they are to learn good eating habits.

Do you do this? How do you manage?

My dd sits well for a three course meal in a restaurant. I normally get down inbetween each course and we have a wander around or she just wanders around the table talking to each person who is there. Then she'll sit back up when the next course is served.

Colouring pencils and paper are always to hand to amuse!!

Ds eats breakfast with his father at 6am and then eats another breakfast with me at 8:30. We eat lunch together which is ds main meal and then ds has tea with me at 5:30. I eat my dinner with dh after ds has gone to bed at 7:30. It is complicated and no good for the waistline but ds does not eat if we don't join him.

depending what time dh is home we all eat at thetable together - if he's not home till late i sit at the table with dd eating fruit or drinking a coffee and eat with dh later

Not often - just not possible. Dh doesn't get in till 6.45-7pm at the earliest and all 3 boys have to eat before then as they are ready for bed at 7.15-7.30pm. I'm always sat with them though and might have a snack at the same time or a cup of tea.

We eat all together when we can manage - weekends for example, but it makes no difference to how well the children eat and sometimes it is very stressful and I don't enjoy my meal.

The children are still very young though (4, 2 and 11 months) and we'll definitely eat together more as they get older and are up later, eat better, don't fidget so much in their seats (or leave them at every opportunity!).

Right now, for the most part dh and I enjoy our meal on our own when the children are in bed - we enjoy it more and chat over it.

We didn't always eat together when I was a child either, especially as teens when we were all running out doing different activities - but none of us has eating problems and we all thoroughly enjoy social family dining when we do it - even now.

"My dd sits well for a three course meal in a restaurant. I normally get down inbetween each course and we have a wander around or she just wanders around the table talking to each person who is there. Then she'll sit back up when the next course is served."

aha! sorry, but to me that is not sitting for a 3 course meal!

No way would my boys last 1.5 hrs in a restaurant. They want to RUUUUUN!!

mine will sit for a 3 course meal ot, however I don't expect them to sit with their hands in their lap. I take pencils and paper and 'quiet' toys, They have done this since toddlerhood and have always behaved well.

They behave best when we are on holidays and the reception in restaurents is family friendly and accepting of children. We had a great meal out in france last year that took over 2 hours. Ds (then aged 4) was just facinated to watch the world driving by the resturant!

We nearly always eat dinner together at night. DD will have a light snack around 3-3:30 either at home or nursery, and then I make dinner for 6:30 (ish) when DH gets in from work. We always sit at the table and eat as a family.

We also eat out a lot with DD. We always have done, since she came home from hospital with us. We normally eat out at least once a week. It can be for anything from a snadwich at a cafe to a big meal in some restaurant. DD is great normally when we are out. We take a selection of activities for her - colours and paper, a book, maybe a small toy car, etc. I have to say that her beahviour isn't always as great if she is with other children - much harder then I think as two children can egg each other on!

Hula - was just going to say that! SIL has one dd who is 3.5 and life for them is a doddle in terms of going out etc. The boys just wind each other up and that's when they get difficult to control.

They are not that bad - they are well behaved but only for as long as you can reasonably expect a 2 yr old and 4 yr old boy to sit still!

We work from home so have the luxury of fitting dinner in around 5.30 whilst dd (and ss when he's here) are awake enough and able enough to eat with us!

I sit dowm and eat lunch with my kids everyday. I usually eat with them at tea time too around 5.30 but it depends on activities pick ups etc. We make a point of always eating together at the weekend my DH is home at 7pm which is far too late but I do think it is important to set a good example by at least sitting with them even if you are not eating. I have just started to get mine to set the table. Who ever does it gets a sticker. Hopefully they will be big enough to clean up after themselves soon!

We used to eat much later than the kids but now we all sit as a family because we felt it was important quality time. Actually when I think back as to why we used to eat later - we didn't have enough chairs for us all to sit together and the table was quite small. LOL

We just had our first family meal together dd is 7 months old today it was v hectic but worth it in the end!

Thought of this today when I was out with my 4 - 11, 9, 8 and 1. Went to an Italian restaurant and even though I was on my own with them had a lovely relaxed time. They all knew how to eat and have a conversation, order food and be polite to waiters. Tip - I never put the baby in her chair until there's something to eat - she either sits on a big chair and draws or sits on my knee (she's 18 months and associates high chair with eating!).

On Sundays yes, during the week, I always do and if dh is home we all do, maybe 3 out of 5 days in the weekdays and 1/2 w/e's. We talk a lot and enjoy eating stuff together.

bossykate - at 2.5! i think that is pretty good for a three course meal which can go on for a good couple of hours!
I'm not saying she goes tearing around the restaurants, she simply gets out of high chair for a stretch of legs and a chat with other people at the end of the table if there is a large group of us.
Willingly goes back in her chair when food arrives. And is also getting in the hang of "ordering her food" from the waiters

I think I need my eyes tested ... I just read the title of this thread as "Do you eat children with your dinner?"

I think I ought to go to bed now ...

yes and i love it when we all sit down together. they all take it in turns to tell me about their day and theye ven ask about mine. its one of those nicer times.

As children, my brother and me were shut in the dining room by ourselves by my wicked stepmother whilst my parents ate their dinner in front of the telly. I hated this so much I now always eat with my children and always at the table unless it's a takeaway pizza and then we slob it in front of the telly!

While abroad the whole family was invited to dinner by a colleague of dh. We were shocked to find our children (then about 6, 4 and 3) were taken to the utility room to be fed tinned soup by the non English speaking nanny with their kids while we had an amazing feast and were waited on by staff. And the guy was from UK so no real cultural reason. As it was a boss it wasn't really possible to comment but I as the children had specifically been invited we were a little put out to say the least!

swedishmum. How horrible for you all!

Kids got lots of treats the next day!! Fortunately the bloke no longer works with dh.

we have eaten together for the last 7 yrs and not so sure it fosters good table manners. dd1 is fine eats most things without moaning and with cutlery she is 13. dd2 who is 11 is a nightmare and we spend whole tea time trying to get her to finish her meal. More often than not she uses her fingers and we have to keep saying cutlery, she never sits still and usually sits on one leg with other on the floor ready for quick get away. she always finds an excuse to get up from the table for some reason or another. dd3 2.6 hardly ever eats her food anymore and ds 15mnths eats everything in sight usually.

So not sure it is about table manners but is a time to share together whats been going on.

The idea of sharing meal together comes from Bible times, where sharing of a meal was very important. Its was more about fellowship, being thankful for the food and festivals.

Tea time is never stress free, but love being all together. unfortuanatly think this will change soon when dh has to find new job

DD and i eat all our meals together and dh eats later when he gets in usally whilst she is in the bath.

I don't. It would turn the highlight of our day into just another stressful chore. The bliss is waiting until the kids are in bed, uncorking that wine (if we can wait that long, which we normally can't) and eating something lovely while loafing in front of the tv or just chatting. Sometimes I feel vestigially guilty about this, but IMO eating with a six month old baby and a tired three year old is not my idea of fun. I want to talk to my dh over dinner!