Smart Door Power Options

[Olly]

In front of the telly, but then I'm on my own - at weekends I will sometimes eat at the table and read while I'm eating, but during the week I can't always be bothered. Quite often by the time I've watered everything, let the chickens out etc. and done whatever else needed doing it is 8.30 or 9.00 and I just want to slump for a bit. Anyway tea is quite often a bowl of cereal because I'm too tired to cook!

 

If I have guests we usually eat at the table, unless my best friend is over and we're watching a film or something.

[bluekarin]

we mostly eat at the table; sometimes laid with cloth, sometimes just a wiped surface. If they're lucky As a treat we eat in front of the telly on a Friday, usually watching a film, or Simpsons. I find we have great conversations sat at the table, with the telly off.

[bronze]

Most of the time at the table with all the family. The rest we like to put the children to bed and then we eat on trays in front of the tv.

[Lesley]

at weekends I will sometimes eat at the table and read while I'm eating,

 

I might creep out of the woodwork here then - I always read whilst I'm eating - unless we have visitors.....

[WarrensWorld]

Wasn't to sure which way to vote we use the first three options. It all depends on what's occurring at the time, Mostly at the table, though not necessarily the dining table.

[ClaireG]

We do both round the table, no tablecloth or napkins and on laps infront of the TV. It depends on what were eating and how lazy were feeling!

[Cinnamon]

at weekends I will sometimes eat at the table and read while I'm eating,

 

I might creep out of the woodwork here then - I always read whilst I'm eating - unless we have visitors.....

 

 

Me too, unless I am watching the TV

[majorbloodnock]

We have almost all our meals at the table, and eaten as a family. Telly's not an option since we don't have one, and we find the table is much more conducive to family discussions, so allowing us to share our day's plans/happenings/thoughts with each other. It's also proving rather useful in teaching the kids better social skills, so that they're more self-confident when they go visiting friends' houses.

[Busybird]

At the table, as many of us together as are home at a mealtime.

 

We don't have broadcast TV - just a screen linked to a DVD player in a room used only for 'indoor entertainment' (films, music, pool, Wii etc).

 

My biggest bugbear at mealtimes is that my kids like to read while they eat. They claim no interest in others conversation then demand that what has been said is repeated if they suddenly realise that they are actually interested

 

If I let them read then mealtimes are generally peaceful with interesting one to one conversations. If I remove all the books then they all try to talk at once, get overexcited, jump up from the table to physically demonstrate a point and I end up getting cross

[Lewis]

Most of the time at the table, at Christmas everone comes round here so we put the 2 tables together + have tablecloth, napkins, side plates and the 'posh cutlery'

 

If we make our own and don't eat together its infront of the tele or in my room.

[Valkyrie]

You will be pleased to know - we are having soup at the table (not ready yet).

[Cinnamon]

It's also proving rather useful in teaching the kids better social skills, so that they're more self-confident when they go visiting friends' houses.

 

Totally agree with you on this.

I must say that up until this year,now that my girls are older (14 & 16) we always ate at the table for this reason, & they both have great table manners.

 

We also made a point of taking them out to eat in a variety of restaurants from a very young age, so they they know how to behave in such places. They have been to some very,very smart places indeed, & have made me proud to be their mum

 

They now,as young adults,truly appreciate a meal out & are confident & respectful in restaurants.

 

A pet hate of mine is going out for a meal,doesn't matter where, & having children run around the place as if its a playground, while the parents totally ignore them & the discomfort of their fellow diners

[Busybird]

My kids are the one's that fellow diners hate and tut about in restaurants

 

I have lost count of the number of meals out that I have missed because I have been sitting in the car / walking round the carpark with the child that would not sit still in a restaurant.

 

I have always eaten with my family at a table with proper cutlery. The children have been told all their lives to say 'please', 'thank you' and to sit still. They don't do it.

 

We have tried pubs, child aimed eateries and decent restaurants. We have made them sit with us, let them play outside until the meal is at the table, given them colouring books or other distractions to help pass the time such as playing quiet games like 'how many things can you see from here beginning with F'. They still talk too loudly, jump up from the table, grab at things and forget to say 'please' and 'thank you'.

 

At home I can send them to eat in another room if their behaviour becomes too rowdy. If we are eating out then all I can do is leave

 

I guess some children can be taught but I don't appear to have the knack to this one. My kids are bright, intelligent and lively - and they do not behave well at meal times.

[Valkyrie]

Sympathies with you, Busybird. Never, ever had a problem with ours when dining out - never allowed to run around, so always well behaved. More than likely didn't want to conjure up the fire breathing dragon mother! One elderly couple actually came up to us to congratulate us - they didn't realise we had the children with us! The only problem is our son who doesn't want to be with us. When going out for a meal he is asked just in case, but he always refuses, which is quite a relief really (nothing worse than having a 16 year old huffing while we are chatting and asking if we can leave every 5 minutes). He must be fine on his own - people have commented on what a nice young man he is, pity he doesn't let us see it. Oh, he's 19 now.

[chick wiggle]

Ok, you've all shamed me Up until 5 or 6 years ago we used to eat at the table, but when work hours got longer and the kids just wanted to watch the tv, we gave in and most nights now eat in front of the tv. Tonight, however, I have now decided we WILL be eating at the table again. Just pop your fingers in your ears while I tell the kids

[mostin]

At the table but if there is just me I eat my pudding while cooking my dinner in the kitchen and eat my dinner in front of the tele.

 

:lol: I like your style .

 

We eat mainly eat at the table but I don't know if it properly counts as we have a little LCD TV on the table . I don't own a table cloth but we do have mats and two sets of cutlery and plates, posh and everyday.

 

When anybody visits and eats with us the TV is lifted off. I never eat at the table when OH is away and I'm on my own, just curl up on the sofa with a sandwich.

 

We always eat off our laps if we have a take-away too, seems to make it feel extra naughty .

[Biker Chick]

We always eat at the table, did go through a stage of eating on trays in front of the TV, but with 3 pairs of eyes (the dogs) looking at you and being at the same level as them, we decided to eat at the table. Have recently treated ourselves to a "bistro" table and chairs in the conservatory, so now we tend to sit out there and eat our meals. So nice to eat in the conservatory, watching the birds and just looking at the garden. Its just a shame that we cant see the chickens from there

[xScrunchee]

No posh cutlery in this house

Does kitchen roll count as a napkin? No?.......Oh, no napkins neither then.

 

We DO have placemats though-although not very useful now that we can't use the table anyway.

 

 

We don't go to resturants as fellow diners would not appreciate it no doubt-Macdonalds is about the only time we eat out and no-one really gets offended at my little boy having a wander about in there and if they did, never mind. I've seen far worse going on than a little one walking around

 

He finds it VERY hard to be still when we eat, even when we did use the table he spent most of the time under the table which was a big improvement rather than him being ON the table!!

 

Now we eat in front of the TV with trays, if DS gets a bit too active (Running around and around and around ) I ask him to take a walk up and down the hallway and rejoin us when he is a little less energetic. Seems to do the trick most evenings

 

DD is less energetic but would be unlikely to eat any of the food served in a resturant anyway.

 

However, my children are nice people, happy, polite, caring and absolutely perfect just the way they are. Not eating in resturants but having them happy is fine by me

[Seagazer]

We mainly sit around the table although it varies on who will be at the table each night, usually just me and YS We have placemats but the tablecloth only comes out on special occasions.

 

You remember the two days of nice weather we had in June, we ate at the table in the garden then!

 

Sometimes as a treat during the week if it is just the two of us then we eat it on our laps. We usually do this on a Saturday as its something like pizza or omlette and chips etc.

[Cinnamon]

Yes, I must agree that WHEN the weather is good we sit at the table in the garden for all 3 meals.

 

I think we have done that just 3 times this year

[Busybird]

xScrunchee - I like your attitude

 

Note to self - relax more and enjoy your children just the way they are.

[Looney]

OH and I always eat with trays on our laps in the front room but we have agreed that once Bogwoppit is eating meals at the same time as us we will all sit at a table and eat.

[chickencam]

Mostly at a big table in our lounge (we converted the dining room into a TV room so that we could use the lounge for family meals).

 

We don't use table-cloths again we stopped when the children were little and have not bothered since. We have a runner down the middle at Christmas but otherwise just mats.

 

The children all have their jobs, YD sets the table then cleans the mats and puts them away after the meal. DS clears the table and ED rinses plates and loads the dishwasher.

 

I love eating together, it is a chance to catch up on the days events and have a laugh together. We also have a couple of sofas in the lounge so we tend to sit around for about half an hour after a meal chatting too.

[Lesley]

at weekends I will sometimes eat at the table and read while I'm eating,

 

I might creep out of the woodwork here then - I always read whilst I'm eating - unless we have visitors.....

 

 

Me too, unless I am watching the TV

 

I have to read all the time - read/ eat/watch TV............or.....forum/TV/read.......any time I'm sitting down, I read.

 

We've sat at the table outside for about 4 days this year...........

[Purplemaniacs]

We always eat at the table, not with a tablecloth due to young children pulling it.

 

Even if I am on my own I still eat at the table.

 

I was shocked some time ago at how many children at school never sit at a table to eat, school lunchtimes were a whole new experience for them

 

Chrissie