by Tammy N.
Member since:
December 28, 2008

Dinner at the Dining Table.... How odd?

March 31, 2009 11:44 AM EDT
views: 99 | comments: 34

My son's girlfriend is welcome to visit whenever she likes.  She is such a sweetheart! She has come over for dinner several times, but something she said at dinner the other night really struck me as odd.  She said, "I think it's cool that you all eat dinner at the table together every night."  Really?  Is my family really that cool?  Of was cool just her polite way of saying odd?? 

Her comment sparked quite a conversation about her family, my family growing up, my husband's family, experiences my children have had at the homes of other families, etc.  I was really surprised by the fact that some families NEVER eat dinner in their dining rooms or at a family table.  Some eat using TV trays in the living room, some eat scattered around the house, etc. 

What does your family do?  Do you make dinner each night and sit at the table together?  Do you have TV trays in the corner of the family room and everyone just sets those up as personal tables?  Maybe you are a family that just eats out every night for dinner?

link to this page
Bookmark this post:
Facebook
Twitter
Delicious
Buzz
More

Comments: 34

ashley a. Mar 31, 2009, 11:48am EDT
I make a point of us eating together. I grew up in a home where everyone ate in their own room or in front of the tv. So did my dh. So we make a point of turning off the tv and sitting down to eat together every night.
Chris E. Mar 31, 2009, 11:50am EDT
What does your family do? Do you make dinner each night and sit at the table together?

When my husband is home yes we do but he is usually at work because he is a police officer. So his shifts rarely work out so we are all together at the table. When he is not home who ever is home does eat at the table together.
Jennifer B. Mar 31, 2009, 12:01pm EDT
When it's just me and my SO then we eat in front of the TV. When the kids are here to visit, I try to serve dinner at the table with the TV off.
Linda T. Mar 31, 2009, 12:02pm EDT
We have a dining table that rarely gets used. We each take our food and go off into our own areas. Some head to their rooms and others the television. I am usually in front of the computer. Christmas morning was the last time more than one of us used the table at the same time.
Jen G. Mar 31, 2009, 12:07pm EDT
My husband and I do sit down at the table to eat when we cook at home; however, my adult son (24) who lives with us for now and my adult daughter (23) who lived with us until recently did not always sit down with us. SOmetimes due to their work schedule or they "weren't hungry right now" or they had friends over. I do think it is important to take the time to sit together for the evening meal and discuss what's happened that day. I grew up doing that but I guess I wasn't very routine about dinner when my kids were younger. It seems harder these days to have a routine; especially, when most moms are wroking full-time. We were always so busy working and then busy with their activities...you know...sports, etc.
Nora C. Mar 31, 2009, 12:07pm EDT
Our house is quite small, and even though the are are only 3 of us we don't all fit around the table the way that we had to cram it into the kitchen. Most of the time there are no more than two of us home (either my husband and daughter in the morning, or me and my daughter at night), so we do eat together, but on the rare instances that all three of us are home one of us usually sits on the couch that faces into the kitchen so that we can all still communicate.
Jen G. Mar 31, 2009, 12:08pm EDT
sorry "working"
Kat W. Mar 31, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
Well, at the moment by dining table is being used as a project table. Since we are not all home at dinner time we eat in front of the tv, which is usually off, and we talk. I guess it could be worse.
Walker Bennett, SF Author Mar 31, 2009, 12:27pm EDT
It's not odd, but it is different these days. My wife and I eat in the living room on the couch, mainly because we have no table. That works for us, but can be a real pain is the rear...especially when the cat is also hungry.
LEЯA © Politcally Incorrect M. Mar 31, 2009, 12:32pm EDT
I eat where ever I want to eat. I live alone and love it. Growing up we always had dinner at the table. I think I was 16 before I ever ate at a fast food place. Raising a family we uaually ate at the dining room table. In my last relationship that lasted ten years we ate at the living room table in front of the tv. He had one of those huge coffee tables that raise up. Now I can do whatever I want.
Tammy N. Mar 31, 2009, 12:38pm EDT
I think family dynamics and schedules have a lot to do with where/how families eat dinner. On the very rare occasions that I'm eating alone, I will occasionally sneak my plate to the office and eat while I work on the computer... or I'll watch TV in the living room.
Elle L. Mar 31, 2009, 12:51pm EDT
We eat dinner at the dining room table every night, we did when I was a kid to. We couldn't always be home for dinner b/c of extracarricular activities, but whoever was there was at the table to eat, not eating at the table was never even thought of when I was a kid, and I want it to be the same way for my kids.

We do know a lot of people who rarely eat t their tables.
Alexis Newell Mar 31, 2009, 2:50pm EDT
When I was a kid, we ate as a family at the dinner table. When I was living on my own in my apartment, I just grabbed whatever I want and ate on the sofa while watching TV. Now that I'm living at my dad's we eat in front of the TV with trays.

I would prefer to eat at the dinner table like I did when I was little, but it's not my house. Chances are, when I do move into my own home in May, I will eat at the dinner table with my boyfriend.
Marsha S. Mar 31, 2009, 4:31pm EDT
One thing that is important to me and always has been is supper at the table as a family.
Cindy R. Mar 31, 2009, 4:35pm EDT
We eat together at the kitchen table whether we cook at home or bring in take out. Now that my son is older, he sometimes goes out with friends to eat or is off at work. If we're home, we eat together and it is the best way I've found to keep in touch with what's going on in my kids' lives.

Inviting their friends over for dinner gives us a chance to get to know their friends too! ;)
Charles Temm JR Mar 31, 2009, 5:52pm EDT
We've always tried to eat together...either at the dining room table or on the coffee table in front of the tube.
fancy c. Mar 31, 2009, 7:46pm EDT
THX
Dana H. Mar 31, 2009, 8:39pm EDT
We do a little of both. Sunday breakfast is our usual meal to eat together at the table. When American Idol is on, we sit in front of the TV.
Thanks for participating in my guess the time I will reach cashout contest ~ comment #3
Cynthia J. Apr 1, 2009, 2:08pm EDT
I grew up eating at the table. Now, hubby and I usually eat in the same room in front of the tv. But if we have a family get together, reunion, holiday, or whatever, we sit at the table. We'll actually lots of tables pulled together.

I think it's very important to eat together and reflect.
Beverly T. Apr 2, 2009, 5:46pm EDT
We do sit at the table together as often as we possibly can, considering everyone's schedules.

Glitter Graphics

Hugs Glitter Graphics
apparently this day and age it is a tad bit odd for the family to all eat together to begin with, and dining rooms tend to be for only special dinners like thanksgiving. Kitchen designs tend to now have an island or other area with stools for eating.
Fran S. Apr 4, 2009, 10:39am EDT
when I had a family we sat together every night for dinner
LaRae E. Apr 5, 2009, 5:35pm EDT
We all eat in different areas because most time we eat at different times. With working overtime, sports practice, choir practice, and quartet practice we just eat when we can. (That is why I can't seem to loose the 100lbs that I need to.)
Laura Logan Apr 6, 2009, 6:43pm EDT
We eat in our bedroom on the bed. That also doubles as our Tv room. I do cook most nights just that our table is acting as our extra cupboard.
Sarah (I want points) Apr 20, 2009, 2:03pm EDT
When I was growing up we ALWAYS ate around the TV, and it was almost always fast food.
Brian H. May 4, 2009, 6:16pm EDT
we eat in front of the tv now, but when little miss gets older we'll start eating around the table.
Robert - just a simple man - B. May 5, 2009, 1:59pm EDT
I grew up with three siblings and a mom and dad who were married for fifty-one years til death did they part. Two out of every three weeks (the odd week my dad worked 3pm-11pm) we had family dinner every night at 6:30. the World News would be on low in the background and we would all talk about our days and what was going on in our lives. I miss my parents greatly, following that, I miss them dinners. I've been eating alone for so long now, writing this is almost making me cry. Nice Post.
Kimber L. May 8, 2009, 12:11pm EDT
We eat dinner together MOST nights - is impossible on thurs and friday but we do the rest of the week!
Nurse Nancy S. May 23, 2009, 9:35am EDT

Growing up, we always ate dinner together at the table. After I got married and had children, we ate together at the table.

Now it is just hubby and me. Yes, we still eat at the table, but not as much. We sometimes eat in front of the TV.
Victoria H. May 26, 2009, 1:45pm EDT

My family eats together every night at the table together as a family.  We did it when I was a kid and I continued it now that I have my own family.
Sandra L. Jun 6, 2009, 12:33am EDT

When I was a kid, we had a very strict stepfather and eating dinner at the table was NOT enjoyable. We had to have at least one spoon of everything whether we liked it or not. If we made a face or said we didn't like it or gagged, we got more. We didn't leave the table until our plates were clean. The only things we were allowed to say were "Please pass the (whatever)" and "May I please be excused?" If we talked or laughed or did anything kids are known to do, we got back-handed or sent away until everybody else was done. Sitting on a door ledge by the table was a dry willow switch as a reminder of what happens to kids who don't mind.

To this day, I am not comfortable sitting at a table to share a meal unless it's in a restaurant. I can't imagine why.
Tammy N. Jun 6, 2009, 7:21am EDT

I can definitely imagine why!!  That is such a harsh, hurtful memory!
Sandra L. Jun 14, 2009, 1:31am EDT

It's over now and I can eat whereever I want and make all the noise I want. That's the good thing about growing up. LOL

Join the Conversation
Chime in! Become a Gather member to comment.
Already a member? Sign in
top
 
Gather | Friends | Groups | Share
About Gather | Engagement Marketing | Make New Friends | Gather Points | Advertise on Gather | Gather Press | Privacy | Terms of Service | Community Guidelines
Books | Celebs | Entertainment | Family | Food | Health | Moms | Money | News | Politics | Spirituality | Sports | Travel | Writing
Version 16961, "Pacino"; Copyright © 2009 Gather Inc. All rights reserved.