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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
No, I think in the town I live in kids are so bogged down with activities, I know very few families that sit down and eat together every night. I guess I am only thinking of weeknights - Monday thru Thursday. Of those nights my daughter is at gymnastics three nights a week - she leaves before my son is even home from middle school sports. So it would be impossible for all of my kids to eat together. I am also not a big dinner person. I am more of an eat a larger lunch and have a snack or very light meal at dinner. When my kids were very little we did eat together every night. But now that they are older it's kind of impossible.
ETA: on weekends we typically eat together as a family either at home or we go out to eat. It's not that we never eat together but on weeknights it would be physically impossible due to activities for us to sit down every night. And we can't just rearrange our schedules to eat together because my daughter doesn't get home until almost 10pm.
I agree with little kids it is much easier. Once kids are older and in activities and have jobs, it is much harder.
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Posted 6/24/21 11:16 AM  |
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Hofstra26
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:25 AM |
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lululu
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Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
We ate together on most nights until we were older and sports got in the way. I do not necessarily think that family dinners are important. We have other ways as a family to stay connected interact and socialize with each other. If I cooked a big meal every night I would be overweight!
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:32 AM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
We ate together on most nights until we were older and sports got in the way. I do not necessarily think that family dinners are important. We have other ways as a family to stay connected interact and socialize with each other. If I cooked a big meal every night I would be overweight!
Whatever works for your family. I love to cook and I love that downtime with the kids and DH. 
ETA - Family Movie Nights on Saturdays are also a fun way to just chill out and connect. Usually after running around we settle in and watch something before the kids head to bed.
Message edited 6/24/2021 11:36:48 AM.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:32 AM |
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NervousNell
Just another chapter in life..
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..being a mommy and being a wife!
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
If eating togeher as a family every night was the thing that kept the family together, my husband and I would be divorced and DD would be in foster care somewhere.
He doesn't eat what we eat due to his dietary needs, he doesn't eat until 8 pm also due to his fasting schedule and DD is picky AF
She eats around 6 pm and something quick and kid friendly.
For DH and I dinner is OUR time- to be alone, to watch our shows without DD up our @ss, and to eat what we want.
Nobody in our family would really eat the same thing- especially him- he is very strcit in his diet and nutrition. So it's not like I could go in the kitchen and cook a meal of like chicken and rice and expect him to eat it.
As far as a movie together- DD won't ever sit through a movie she is much like me in she has zero attention span for movies- and if she would, DH and I would be passed out from boredom on the kind of movie she'd be interested in so yeah...family movie nights are never a thing for us either.
It's a wonder we are all still a family
But seriously, it works for us. Every family is different and what works, works.
Growing up we ate together every night at the table and my mom cooked most nights.
I feel like times have changed a bit from then though
Message edited 6/24/2021 11:44:46 AM.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:44 AM |
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mrsrainbow
LIF Adult
Member since 1/17 1465 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by NervousNell
Only on Saturdays when we go out to dinner (if DD comes with us...lately she's been spending a lot of Saturday nights at friend's houses. ).
During the week DH and I eat around 730 or 8 pm and that's too late for DD. Plus she rarely eats what we do...so we'll make her something early and DH and I will eat together while watching TV
same, we try to sit down at least 1-2 nights all together but we have hectic schedules. I'm not necessarily hungry at 6pm when I am walking through the door while the kids are starving - I need time to decompress.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:45 AM |
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JennP
LIF Adult
Member since 10/06 3986 total posts
Name:
Jenn
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Lately not often because DS is on two travel baseball teams and DH manages and coaches. So we've been all over the place in the evenings.
But I like to do it whenever possible. Sometime if one of us ate earlier or whatever we'll still all sit down together at least for a few minutes.
Like lululu I also usually don't like a big dinner. Sometimes if I eat too much at night it...let's just say I don't feel my best last at night lol.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:52 AM |
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How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Almost every night...I feel like I am serving a life sentence of making and deciding what is for dinner for the rest of my life. Would love some nights to be a bowl of cereal and call it a day.
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| Posted 6/24/21 11:58 AM |
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
We ate together on most nights until we were older and sports got in the way. I do not necessarily think that family dinners are important. We have other ways as a family to stay connected interact and socialize with each other. If I cooked a big meal every night I would be overweight!
Funny how no one is speaking of breakfast or lunch together. I wonder if people find that as important.
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| Posted 6/24/21 12:44 PM |
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by NervousNell
If eating togeher as a family every night was the thing that kept the family together, my husband and I would be divorced and DD would be in foster care somewhere.
He doesn't eat what we eat due to his dietary needs, he doesn't eat until 8 pm also due to his fasting schedule and DD is picky AF
She eats around 6 pm and something quick and kid friendly.
For DH and I dinner is OUR time- to be alone, to watch our shows without DD up our @ss, and to eat what we want.
Nobody in our family would really eat the same thing- especially him- he is very strcit in his diet and nutrition. So it's not like I could go in the kitchen and cook a meal of like chicken and rice and expect him to eat it.
As far as a movie together- DD won't ever sit through a movie she is much like me in she has zero attention span for movies- and if she would, DH and I would be passed out from boredom on the kind of movie she'd be interested in so yeah...family movie nights are never a thing for us either.
It's a wonder we are all still a family
But seriously, it works for us. Every family is different and what works, works.
Growing up we ate together every night at the table and my mom cooked most nights.
I feel like times have changed a bit from then though
Lololol agreed. My kids usually just end up arguing and complaining about something so I don’t make a big deal of eating together. We did when I was a kid and I honestly don’t feel it made us closer. It was more something you were made to do like other things and it pushes you away to do these things when you get older.
Everyday is different for us, for every meal too so it doesn’t feel forced.
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| Posted 6/24/21 12:48 PM |
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by Anotherplease
Almost every night...I feel like I am serving a life sentence of making and deciding what is for dinner for the rest of my life. Would love some nights to be a bowl of cereal and call it a day.
My kids are older and I call it, eat what you want. I get so tired of being the person to decide dinner and then they complain about what we are eating and how we eat the same thing all the time.
Fun times.
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| Posted 6/24/21 12:49 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
Name:
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
We ate together on most nights until we were older and sports got in the way. I do not necessarily think that family dinners are important. We have other ways as a family to stay connected interact and socialize with each other. If I cooked a big meal every night I would be overweight!
Funny how no one is speaking of breakfast or lunch together. I wonder if people find that as important.
I know I actually wondered that as well. I think that if I was going to be strict about eating a meal together it would be breakfast or lunch. I really don't eat a big breakfast though so it would probably be lunch and that's impossible with school. My husband and I do a couple of lunch dates a week now while the kids are at school though. We very rarely go out for dinner anymore and this suites me a lot better.
But what is interesting to me, and I had a vegan friends with strict dietary restraints point this out to me years ago, is that so much of American social interactions revolve around food. Want to catch up with someone - meet for dinner. Having friends over, put out a big spread of food. If you just want to do something that doesn't involve eating and/or drinking the options start to get somewhat limited. I wonder if this is part of why we are so fat as a country.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:00 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by windyweather21
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
As a kid we always ate together every night as well, my mom was a stickler for us having a home cooked meal together.
Before we moved to NJ, my DH had a much shorter commute so we had dinner together every night too. Unfortunately now he has to miss a few but regardless, I still try to cook for the family at least 5 days a week even if he has to eat his later.
I think family meals are so important, I wish we could do it every night like we use to. I know it's not always easy to coordinate but I really like having that little bit of time to slow down with no tv, electronics or distractions and just talk about our day and unwind.
We ate together on most nights until we were older and sports got in the way. I do not necessarily think that family dinners are important. We have other ways as a family to stay connected interact and socialize with each other. If I cooked a big meal every night I would be overweight!
Funny how no one is speaking of breakfast or lunch together. I wonder if people find that as important.
Maybe because people have jobs and kids are usually in school. Neither are practical meals to have together unless it's the weekend.
My kids don't have the same school schedule so they are up and eating at different times during the week. DH only has protein shakes in the morning before he leaves for work early. I do make nice breakfasts for us on the weekend and we have lunch together as well but during the week everyone is on different schedules so eating together for breakfast and lunch isn't practical. I imagine that's the case for most people.
ETA - Also, this post wasn't about whether or not people have breakfast and lunch together. The OP specifically asked about dinner which is why that is all anyone is talking about.
Message edited 6/24/2021 1:11:36 PM.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:00 PM |
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KarenK122
The Journey is the Destination
Member since 5/05 4431 total posts
Name:
Karen
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How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Growing up we ate dinner together every single night until I started working. We also ate Sunday breakfasts together.
Now we try to eat as a family most nights. Sometimes my husband and I will eat after the kids. When the kids are home, I will eat breakfast and lunch with them as well.
I actually had a mini tantrum last night and swore I am not cooking anymore because my entire family is ungrateful of the time I spend and what I cook so I might be changing my answer to never lol.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:14 PM |
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soontobemommyof2
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
No, I think in the town I live in kids are so bogged down with activities, I know very few families that sit down and eat together every night. I guess I am only thinking of weeknights - Monday thru Thursday. Of those nights my daughter is at gymnastics three nights a week - she leaves before my son is even home from middle school sports. So it would be impossible for all of my kids to eat together. I am also not a big dinner person. I am more of an eat a larger lunch and have a snack or very light meal at dinner. When my kids were very little we did eat together every night. But now that they are older it's kind of impossible.
ETA: on weekends we typically eat together as a family either at home or we go out to eat. It's not that we never eat together but on weeknights it would be physically impossible due to activities for us to sit down every night. And we can't just rearrange our schedules to eat together because my daughter doesn't get home until almost 10pm.
That’s an actual custom in my country. The biggest meal of the deal is during lunch time. For dinner, it’s a very light meal.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:15 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by soontobemommyof2
Posted by lululu
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
No, I think in the town I live in kids are so bogged down with activities, I know very few families that sit down and eat together every night. I guess I am only thinking of weeknights - Monday thru Thursday. Of those nights my daughter is at gymnastics three nights a week - she leaves before my son is even home from middle school sports. So it would be impossible for all of my kids to eat together. I am also not a big dinner person. I am more of an eat a larger lunch and have a snack or very light meal at dinner. When my kids were very little we did eat together every night. But now that they are older it's kind of impossible.
ETA: on weekends we typically eat together as a family either at home or we go out to eat. It's not that we never eat together but on weeknights it would be physically impossible due to activities for us to sit down every night. And we can't just rearrange our schedules to eat together because my daughter doesn't get home until almost 10pm.
That’s an actual custom in my country. The biggest meal of the deal is during lunch time. For dinner, it’s a very light meal.
I wish it was practical for me to have lunch be the bigger meal, I like the idea of eating lighter at night since it's so much closer to bedtime.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:18 PM |
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lululu
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Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by Hofstra26
Funny how no one is speaking of breakfast or lunch together. I wonder if people find that as important.
Maybe because people have jobs and kids are usually in school. Neither are practical meals to have together unless it's the weekend.
My kids don't have the same school schedule so they are up and eating at different times during the week. DH only has protein shakes in the morning before he leaves for work early. I do make nice breakfasts for us on the weekend and we have lunch together as well but during the week everyone is on different schedules so eating together for breakfast and lunch isn't practical. I imagine that's the case for most people.
ETA - Also, this post wasn't about whether or not people have breakfast and lunch together. The OP specifically asked about dinner which is why that is all anyone is talking about.
I think in general though there is this perception that you are doing something wrong as a family if you don't all sit down to dinner together. Where I live now, most of the husbands (and some wives) have demanding jobs that require long hours and the kids are completely over stretched with activities and homework so it makes it almost impossible. I am not sure why making time to eat breakfast together would be any more demanding than making time to eat dinner together. Every one could get up in time to sit and start the day off right. It actually makes much more sense to me than eating a big meal in the evening or keeping children up late so they can eat when their dad gets home from work (which was suggested to me countless times by my MIL when my kids were little and we did all eat together but without him).
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:20 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Message edited 6/24/2021 1:24:10 PM.
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| Posted 6/24/21 1:22 PM |
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lululu
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Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by Hofstra26
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Yes it is definitely the more traditional American thing. But I think a lot of people wear it as a badge of honor. Like they are "doing it right" because they make it so that the whole family can sit down to dinner together, when in reality for some families that just doesn't work for whatever reason. Even look at this thread - I said that it would be hard for my family to make that work most nights and a poster brought up how her mom was able to make it work with activities of 5 children. Well whoop tee doo! Great for her mother. I am not sure if she is a magician but I don't think it's physically possible for my family to sit down for dinner every night when one kid is gone from 6 - 10 every night and another doesn't get home until after 6. It's like a subtle dig.... "If my mom could make it work with 5 kids, you must clearly be doing something wrong if you can't make it work with only 3."
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| Posted 6/24/21 2:51 PM |
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Hofstra26
Love to Bake!
Member since 7/06 27915 total posts
Name:
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Yes it is definitely the more traditional American thing. But I think a lot of people wear it as a badge of honor. Like they are "doing it right" because they make it so that the whole family can sit down to dinner together, when in reality for some families that just doesn't work for whatever reason. Even look at this thread - I said that it would be hard for my family to make that work most nights and a poster brought up how her mom was able to make it work with activities of 5 children. Well whoop tee doo! Great for her mother. I am not sure if she is a magician but I don't think it's physically possible for my family to sit down for dinner every night when one kid is gone from 6 - 10 every night and another doesn't get home until after 6. It's like a subtle dig.... "If my mom could make it work with 5 kids, you must clearly be doing something wrong if you can't make it work with only 3."
Not to be snarky, honestly, but I think you're taking it way too personally. I just read that comment as her sharing her experience with family dinner, nothing more. I'm pretty sure there is NOBODY walking around wearing family dinner as a" badge of honor" or really caring how anyone else runs their household. Just because it's a tradition that's important to some doesn't mean they expect it to be important to everyone else.
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| Posted 6/24/21 2:58 PM |
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RainyDay
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Member since 6/15 3986 total posts
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Yes it is definitely the more traditional American thing. But I think a lot of people wear it as a badge of honor. Like they are "doing it right" because they make it so that the whole family can sit down to dinner together, when in reality for some families that just doesn't work for whatever reason. Even look at this thread - I said that it would be hard for my family to make that work most nights and a poster brought up how her mom was able to make it work with activities of 5 children. Well whoop tee doo! Great for her mother. I am not sure if she is a magician but I don't think it's physically possible for my family to sit down for dinner every night when one kid is gone from 6 - 10 every night and another doesn't get home until after 6. It's like a subtle dig.... "If my mom could make it work with 5 kids, you must clearly be doing something wrong if you can't make it work with only 3."
You aren't doing anything wrong. You do what works for you and you family.
I just find it strange that DH is perfectly OK with us never sitting down to eat dinner together, especially after I just gave up a demanding job to be able to be able to spend more time together as a family. He straight out told me that NO ONE has dinner as a family anymore.
Forget about having breakfast together because he will refuse in a heartbeat to have to wake up a second before he has to in the morning.
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| Posted 6/24/21 3:02 PM |
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klingklang77
kraftwerk!
Member since 7/06 11486 total posts
Name:
Völlig losgelöst
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by soontobemommyof2
Posted by lululu
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
No, I think in the town I live in kids are so bogged down with activities, I know very few families that sit down and eat together every night. I guess I am only thinking of weeknights - Monday thru Thursday. Of those nights my daughter is at gymnastics three nights a week - she leaves before my son is even home from middle school sports. So it would be impossible for all of my kids to eat together. I am also not a big dinner person. I am more of an eat a larger lunch and have a snack or very light meal at dinner. When my kids were very little we did eat together every night. But now that they are older it's kind of impossible.
ETA: on weekends we typically eat together as a family either at home or we go out to eat. It's not that we never eat together but on weeknights it would be physically impossible due to activities for us to sit down every night. And we can't just rearrange our schedules to eat together because my daughter doesn't get home until almost 10pm.
That’s an actual custom in my country. The biggest meal of the deal is during lunch time. For dinner, it’s a very light meal.
It's that way here as well. Some stores are closed at lunch time and 1-2 hours is considered a normal lunch hour. I'm in a city, so more things are open, but when I was in a small town most things were closed between 12-2.
When we meet with SO's family, it is always a big lunch. Dinner doesn't seem to be a thing with them.
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| Posted 6/24/21 3:05 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
Name:
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by Hofstra26
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Yes it is definitely the more traditional American thing. But I think a lot of people wear it as a badge of honor. Like they are "doing it right" because they make it so that the whole family can sit down to dinner together, when in reality for some families that just doesn't work for whatever reason. Even look at this thread - I said that it would be hard for my family to make that work most nights and a poster brought up how her mom was able to make it work with activities of 5 children. Well whoop tee doo! Great for her mother. I am not sure if she is a magician but I don't think it's physically possible for my family to sit down for dinner every night when one kid is gone from 6 - 10 every night and another doesn't get home until after 6. It's like a subtle dig.... "If my mom could make it work with 5 kids, you must clearly be doing something wrong if you can't make it work with only 3."
Not to be snarky, honestly, but I think you're taking it way too personally. I just read that comment as her sharing her experience with family dinner, nothing more. I'm pretty sure there is NOBODY walking around wearing family dinner as a" badge of honor" or really caring how anyone else runs their household. Just because it's a tradition that's important to some doesn't mean they expect it to be important to everyone else.
I'm not really taking it personally and frankly I really don't care but there was no reason to bring that up in response to me saying it was impossible for my family. She said "we just rearrange our schedules..." "My mom was able to make it work with 5 kids and activities...." She didn't say, oh that stinks that you can't make it work, that would be hard for me. It's a passive aggressive way of saying "you could do it if you tried." I'm very passive aggressive so I am very in tune to other people's passive aggressive comments. I really don't give two sh*ts as I eat to live, I don't live to eat. I'm not a foodie, don't really care that much about great restaurants or being able to cook well. I'll eat what's around when I'm hungry. The thing I loathe most as a parent is having to worry about feeding other people.
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| Posted 6/24/21 3:08 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
Name:
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by RainyDay
Posted by lululu
Posted by Hofstra26
I think more realistically it's just always been customary in this country to gather as a family for dinner. That's the pretty traditional way of doing things, lunch and breakfast have not been considered family meals in the United States. But obviously, to each his own as that way of doing things doesn't work for everyone.
Yes it is definitely the more traditional American thing. But I think a lot of people wear it as a badge of honor. Like they are "doing it right" because they make it so that the whole family can sit down to dinner together, when in reality for some families that just doesn't work for whatever reason. Even look at this thread - I said that it would be hard for my family to make that work most nights and a poster brought up how her mom was able to make it work with activities of 5 children. Well whoop tee doo! Great for her mother. I am not sure if she is a magician but I don't think it's physically possible for my family to sit down for dinner every night when one kid is gone from 6 - 10 every night and another doesn't get home until after 6. It's like a subtle dig.... "If my mom could make it work with 5 kids, you must clearly be doing something wrong if you can't make it work with only 3."
You aren't doing anything wrong. You do what works for you and you family.
I just find it strange that DH is perfectly OK with us never sitting down to eat dinner together, especially after I just gave up a demanding job to be able to be able to spend more time together as a family. He straight out told me that NO ONE has dinner as a family anymore.
Forget about having breakfast together because he will refuse in a heartbeat to have to wake up a second before he has to in the morning.
Yeah I would be on the same page as your DH as spending time as a family does not necessarily include sitting down to dinner every night for me, but if it is something that is important to you, make a point to do it with the kids every night and I am sure he will join you.
Message edited 6/24/2021 3:09:59 PM.
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| Posted 6/24/21 3:09 PM |
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lululu
LIF Adult
Member since 7/05 9508 total posts
Name:
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Re: How often do you eat dinner as a family.
Posted by klingklang77
Posted by soontobemommyof2
Posted by lululu
Posted by PitterPatter11
Posted by lululu
Wow! I am shocked at the answers. We seem to be running all over the place with sports and activities, it would be pretty much impossible to sit down for dinner most nights. The only time we were able to consistently have dinner together was when we were on lockdown and I feel like I gained so much weight because of it!
Really? Most people I know eat dinner together most nights. Even when we are busy, we just rearrange dinner time to eat together. This week, my DS has soccer camp 6-8 and we have ate dinner together every night. My mom had 5 kids with activities and we always ate together. My dad worked long hours so he was not home, but my mom made dinner for all the kids and would sit with us at the kitchen table as we ate. She usually waited to actually eat dinner with my dad, but I still counted that as eating together.
No, I think in the town I live in kids are so bogged down with activities, I know very few families that sit down and eat together every night. I guess I am only thinking of weeknights - Monday thru Thursday. Of those nights my daughter is at gymnastics three nights a week - she leaves before my son is even home from middle school sports. So it would be impossible for all of my kids to eat together. I am also not a big dinner person. I am more of an eat a larger lunch and have a snack or very light meal at dinner. When my kids were very little we did eat together every night. But now that they are older it's kind of impossible.
ETA: on weekends we typically eat together as a family either at home or we go out to eat. It's not that we never eat together but on weeknights it would be physically impossible due to activities for us to sit down every night. And we can't just rearrange our schedules to eat together because my daughter doesn't get home until almost 10pm.
That’s an actual custom in my country. The biggest meal of the deal is during lunch time. For dinner, it’s a very light meal.
It's that way here as well. Some stores are closed at lunch time and 1-2 hours is considered a normal lunch hour. I'm in a city, so more things are open, but when I was in a small town most things were closed between 12-2.
When we meet with SO's family, it is always a big lunch. Dinner doesn't seem to be a thing with them.
Ha! I am of German decent so maybe it's in my DNA.
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| Posted 6/24/21 3:10 PM |
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