Does/Did Your Family Eat Meals Together?

[lizbud]

I know most households are pretty hectic nowadays, but I always tried
to have the whole family together for a least one meal a day.That's the
way I was raised & I thought it was a good idea to continue the tradition.

Was your family the same way or not?

[petslover]

We usually eat it together, but in the living room. Thats how we have always done it.

[Miss Z]

Oh yes, we always eat meals together, at the table, always have done. I do think that familes that don't really don't communicate well at all, and have more arguements.

[critter crazy]

I am a freak about it!! We HAVE to have Dinner together as a family, no matter what! I cannot stand not having a family meal.

I think my main reason for it was that I had a single mom, and she was always working and never home(trying to earn enough money for us to eat), so I get very upset if something upsets our family meal time!
Just ask my hubby, if he calls and says he wont be home in time!!;)

[.sarah]

My mom and I almost always eat together in the kitchen. My dad always eats at his desk, and my brother eats wherever.

[petslover]

We don't eat together at the kitchen table, and we communicate more than alot of families I know.

[dogzr#1]

We hardly ever eat a meal together. I would like to though, but it never happens. We get our plate and go to eat in our rooms, in front of the computer etc.

[Karen]

We did growing up, and Paul and I usually eat together at least once a day, though with my food allergies, we rarely eat the same thing at the same time.

[k9krazee]

We used to always have a family mealat the table when everybody was home from work/school up until about a year ago.

However, when I left for college, Adam started college and working full time and Michael moved to Georgia the family meals kind of stopped. We try to have a meal at least once a week now together as a family. Even that is hard though because we're all working 40-50 hours a week and my little sister (who's home all day) hasn't quite mastered the cooking thing yet and none of us are really up to it after a long day at work.

[luvofallhorses]

Yes only dinner, though. :) and breakfast and lunch and dinner on Saturdays and Sundays. :) but small meals and such we usually just eat them while watching tv and not at the table :)

[Sirrahsim]

We do :) At this point we all sit around the kitchen table with Austin on top of the table on a contoured pillow. As soon as Austin is old enough he will be in a high chair too :)
One thing that we are particular about is that Tyler MUST sit with the family at the table until everyone is done eating. It just seems rude to get up before then, you know?

[cassiesmom]

When I lived at home we ate together on the days my parents didn't work late. I do remember feeling odd because most of the kids I knew (we're talking early to mid '70s here) had a set suppertime, and I never did.

[Alysser]

Well my mom being on a diet, she doesn't eat the same thing as we all do. So no, not really. Me and my sister and my dad usually eat togather but my mom is always downstairs so we talk alot and communicate alot as well.

[kuhio98]

Yep. I grew up doing that and we still do. Though, Bobcat and I usually eat different things for dinner. But, we eat at the table together.

[Freedom]

Growing up yes, we always had at least one meal together. Weekends, it was all 3 meals together. We weren't allowed to sleep in and "miss" breakfast. Dad would come get us if we weren't up.

Now, it is Dad and I. We eat breakfast on our own, mostly in the living room. That's because he is morning person and I am a night owl. I jsut can't see getting up at 6 when I don't HAVE to!!! We always eat lunch together; it is our big meal of the day. And supper is also together, sometimes at the table.

I think it is great to dine together. The 15 years I lived alone, I hated eating meals alone.

[I_luv_rusty]

I usually do, but my mom sits on a stool near the counter so she can also read newspapers she need to catch up on. Its usually my dad, my brother, and myself. But sometimes I leave before my brother even comes down, since he plays video games all day. :p

[Pembroke_Corgi]

I never eat alone- I'm always joined by 3 dogs! ;) :D

No, seriously, my husband and I only eat dinner together on the weekends, when we eat at the same time- usually we either go out for dinner or Eric makes something. We get home at different times from work, so we don't eat together during the week.

When I lived with my parents (until they divorced) we all had to eat together. I really don't think it brought it closer together as my brother and I felt forced to sit and it wasn't enjoyable at all. It might have been with a different family, though.

[mike001]

yes, I was raised that way and this is the way it's done over here. I take the phone off the hook so that no calls will interupt the meal , that was also a tradition when I grew up. Main meal was always talking about our day and coming events.

[ramanth]

Growing up, our family ate together. Once my sisters and I started hitting late high school/college days though, meals together were few and far between. But we got together when we could. :)

[K9karen]

Almost always but sometimes for various reasons, it was 2 or 3 of us instead of 4, but nobody ate alone. Now...more or less. John and I usually eat lunch or dinner together but I sit with my brother to keep him company and talk when he come home at 11p.

[king2005]

Growing up we all ate at the kitchen table... When the folks split, dad's titchen was too small for 3 people to sit at a table.. so we all sat in the livingroom, watching tv... we tend to talk more while making dinner as 3 people can stand/cook in the kitchen..

Now that dad is caring for his mother at her place there is room for 4 people to sit at a table & eat together & we always do..

Where I'm staying now, we sit infront of the tv, or I sit at my computer & pick at my food.

At my new place.. its only 1 room & I'll be alone... so no worries about eatting together there.. until my friends comeover.. then we'll be in a group eatting together like we always do.

[krazyaboutkatz]

Growing up we always ate dinner together. Now I usually eat dinner with my parents on Sundays.:)

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

During the week, it is difficult to eat together; but I insist that everybody who is home, eats together! When my hubby comes home (which is usually late), I always sit down with him while he eats.
On weekends, I insist to eat together all the time; no excuses :D

On a special evening like Christmas Eve, my hubby and I want the kids to be home and have a family-evening. NO excuses accepted at all !!!

[crow_noir]

Yup, Mom, Dad, and I almost always had supper together. The first time i heard of a "family meeting" I was like "what do people need those for?" Anything we needed to get off our chests happened at dinner time. It was time for seriousness and fun. When i got home from school my parents asked how my day went and that was my time to vent. Anything they wanted to know waited until dinner. Usually.

I feel bad for S.O. even on the occasions that they ate together as a family... no one talked... even if he tried to get them to talk. When I came into the picture I got to witness this. The only one we got to have decent dinner conversations with were his Grandmother... When no one else was around.

S.O. and i almost always eat one dinner together per day. Sometimes two.

[sirrahbed]

Interesting topic :)

Yes, in our family, we have always had meals together, seated at the table - and the TV OFF. Meals have always been this way when I was growing up as well. I am happy to read that the tradition still seems to be important. Hubby and I sit down for meals together, even if only one is eating.

[Cataholic]

Interesting topic :)

Yes, in our family, we have always had meals together, seated at the table - and the TV OFF. Meals have always been this way when I was growing up as well. I am happy to read that the tradition still seems to be important. Hubby and I sit down for meals together, even if only one is eating.


Ditto! I mean, minus the husband, add one child. :)

Course, we are never eating the same thing, unless it is pizza.

[jackie]

I eat, and the dogs stare, does that count? :p

[WELOVESPUPPIES]

I was raised where everyone sat at the dinner table, no TV, no radio, conversation about our day at school.work and this is how we live in my household. We always eat together(at least for dinner) but even during the summer and on days when the kids are out of school we eat lunchs together too. No TV, No radio and conversation about our day.

[BitsyNaceyDog]

Always!!
Growing up we always at supper together. Now that I'm married Justin and I eat all our meals together, for the most part anyway. We eat breakfast and supper together everyday, and usually lunch too. Everyone told us that we wouldn't be able to eat together anymore once Nathan was born, but we made it a point to. When he was first born I would hold him in one arm and eat with the other hand. Now Nathan usually sits in his swing, bouncer, or excersaucer and plays while we eat. I'm looking forward to when he can sit in his highchair and eat with us.

[Flatcoatluver]

We used to when my brother still lived with us, that was about 7 years ago. But now, not so much. My dad usually goes in his room at 7:30 and eats then goes to bed. I am at work and don't get home until 8, so I never eat until late, and my mom eat dinner when she gets home from work. My family eats at the table if there are birthdays or family get together.

[lizbud]

I eat, and the dogs stare, does that count? :p



LOL that's the way it is here too. :) Did your family eat together when
you were growing up?

My children are now grown & flown the coop, but when they were still at
home we all ate together at dinner time. I loved having us all together. :)

[joycenalex]

as a child, my birth family ate dinner together, until my parents divorce, it was always at the table after dad got home from work, a meat, 2 vegs and potatoes. girls cleaned the kitchen and washed the dishes. in high school, the rules of home loosened, and it was a hot dish in the oven, eat as you came with sports, jobs and so forth.
now, i cook almost every night, a protein, a starch and a veg. on sunday, a dessert, if no dessert, popcorn with tv. we eat at the table, cloth napkins, placemats, china. sunday am, i make a large breakfast around 10. i have happy memories around our tables.

[Scooter's Mom]

One thing that we are particular about is that Tyler MUST sit with the family at the table until everyone is done eating. It just seems rude to get up before then, you know?

Wish my husband would learn that!
When we eat at the table, he scarfs his down and runs off while I'm still 1/3 done. It drives me NUTS.
Crystal

[KYS]

When I was growing up, my dad worked late.
I remember we would all have dinner together
together on the weekends.

As an adult I tried to have dinner together.
(I think it is a nice tradition)