[Food] What's the etiquette with evening dinner?

[WATFORD zero]

Always eat at a table. When kids were at home, always tried to make sure we all sat down for dinner together every day, no TV, phones etc. Kitchen Table seats 6 so normally there, but Sundays, friends, family round etc would eat in Dining Room and have music in background.

Now just Me and Mrs Wz but still always sit at table in kitchen (there is TV in kitchen often on these days). Xmas day this year we only had 4 of us and for the first time ever, didn't use Dining Room, but Mrs Wz doesn't want to downsize

 

[Berty23]

The one time the five of us all sit together (as long as my teacher wife is home which is not all that often for dinner about 6.30 if she isn’t then the four of us eat with her slightly forlorn looking spot empty). No phones. No TV. No radio. We discuss our days. We argue. We laugh. We get a bit sad. We smile. We wind each other up. Has always been like this since the kids were very young. Now they are 14, 12 and 12. Anyone who picks up phone during the meal has to clear up everything after the meal and sort out a dessert for the next day. It has never happened. When dad visits he sometimes gets phone out and the kids make him tidy up. He won’t learn.

I love it. Best time of day. Proper family time.

Meal finishes then they generally bugger off back to bedrooms to chat with mates.

 

[schmunk]

Always sit at the table in the dining room to eat dinner, very rarely get through dinner without getting up to let the pup out for a slash or shout at the pup for causing some sort of chaos……sometimes she has a nap when we are eating

That's no way to talk about your child.

 

[Superphil]

Always sit at the island in the kitchen if it’s just the 2 of us (don’t have any kids). When we have friends/family round for dinner it’s at the dining room table. If kids are in attendance they don’t get fed unless they’re at the table with us, and they eat what we are eating.

 

[Carlos BC]

We sit at the dinner table. No TV, radio, phones or farting allowed.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

Well, it’s called ‘tea’ up here for a start.

 

[LennyTee]

And this is the beauty of NSC. Everyone rows with someone, and everyone assumes they know everything about the person they are rowing with, and everyone will carry a row over to other threads. The evening dinner protocol busts a few theories.

 

[WATFORD zero]

The one time the five of us all sit together (as long as my teacher wife is home which is not all that often for dinner about 6.30 if she isn’t then the four of us eat with her slightly forlorn looking spot empty). No phones. No TV. No radio. We discuss our days. We argue. We laugh. We get a bit sad. We smile. We wind each other up. Has always been like this since the kids were very young. Now they are 14, 12 and 12. Anyone who picks up phone during the meal has to clear up everything after the meal and sort out a dessert for the next day. It has never happened. When dad visits he sometimes gets phone out and the kids make him tidy up. He won’t learn.

I love it. Best time of day. Proper family time.

Meal finishes then they generally bugger off back to bedrooms to chat with mates.

Make the most, it really is such a brilliant time at that age

Still one of my favourite things in the whole world, having dinner with my kids and their partners (out or at home, arguing, laughing, getting a bit sad, winding each other up, and they're a lot older than yours)

 

[Berty23]

Make the most, it really is such a brilliant time at that age

I treasure it. I grew up in a military family and dad was always away for months on end. He always commented how much we had grown during his absence. It is how I know what is going on. No distractions and just listening to each other.

 

[Weststander]

We have TV dinners, relaxing in the living room. No one’s multi tasking with a phone or tablet.

Up until the kids were about 16 it was invariably around the dinner table, partly to prevent spilt dinners!

 

[ozzygull]

Eat Dinner and most meals, unless just a sandwich at the table in the kitchen. Mobile devices not allowed at the table.

 

[hart's shirt]

 

[LennyTee]

The one time the five of us all sit together (as long as my teacher wife is home which is not all that often for dinner about 6.30 if she isn’t then the four of us eat with her slightly forlorn looking spot empty). No phones. No TV. No radio. We discuss our days. We argue. We laugh. We get a bit sad. We smile. We wind each other up. Has always been like this since the kids were very young. Now they are 14, 12 and 12. Anyone who picks up phone during the meal has to clear up everything after the meal and sort out a dessert for the next day. It has never happened. When dad visits he sometimes gets phone out and the kids make him tidy up. He won’t learn.

I love it. Best time of day. Proper family time.

Meal finishes then they generally bugger off back to bedrooms to chat with mates.

You have a pretty much perfect family life there. Keep that, cherish that. Don't forget it and don't throw it away.

When I was 12 my dinner was whatever neighbour was looking after us, or we looked after ourselves. Don't get me wrong, we weren't neglected or anything, everyone looked after each others kids, was just parents working to pay the bills like loads of communities up and down the country.

 

[BadFish]

We eat at the table, usually outside. No phones and no tv or music. Who would want to interrupt the kids bickering with such things.

Autistic kids with sensory processing disorders so often 3 meals have been prepared. Usually me two of the and my daughter gets herself something.

 

[Justice]

I hardly eat these days due to health reasons if I have a big dinner it leaves me in agony. Christmas Day was a disaster spent the afternoon in pain after trying to eat Christmas dinner. Today I didn’t eat all day which is normal until around seven when I managed some chicken salad.
The rest of the clan eat dinner when they want no set times or anything.

 

[A mex eyecan]

View attachment 155568

that’s exactly what we do everyday, same for breakfast, luncheon and supper. The nicest part is when the butler places the napkins upon one’s lap, pours the sherry and decants the wine.

 

[BN9 BHA]

I hardly eat these days due to health reasons if I have a big dinner it leaves me in agony. Christmas Day was a disaster spent the afternoon in pain after trying to eat Christmas dinner. Today I didn’t eat all day which is normal until around seven when I managed some chicken salad.
The rest of the clan eat dinner when they want no set times or anything.

Doesn’t sound good mate, have you found out the exact reason this happens?
I have a digestive issue, took ages to get diagnosed, under control now thankfully.

 

[Berty23]

You have a pretty much perfect family life there. Keep that, cherish that. Don't forget it and don't throw it away.

When I was 12 my dinner was whatever neighbour was looking after us, or we looked after ourselves. Don't get me wrong, we weren't neglected or anything, everyone looked after each others kids, was just parents working to pay the bills like loads of communities up and down the country.

Fear not. I do. We are lucky. Dad was always away when I was a kid so made it my mission to do something that meant I could be here for my kids. I have to work some evenings but I see them in the morning and evening before I have to work. I know everyone treasures family but when my wife was pregnant with my twin daughters she was diagnosed with cancer and for a while it looked like none of them would make it. But here we are 13 years later and they all are. Lucky man.

 

[zefarelly]

I sit at the dining table to eat. almost always.

occaisionally at a coffee bar corner bit on the end of the kitchen on. Stool if for example dinner clashes with football.

never eat a meal on the sofa, uncomfortable and just wrong.

nearly always have music on

 

[Swansman]

When the kids were at home we'd always have dinner as a four around the table - no TV or mobiles.

Since then I must confess to the odd TV dinner on occasions.

This is how it should be done.

And also the opposite from how I do it.