We always sat at the table when my girls were young. Even up till a few years ago, but we now have a seperate dining room and my husband doesn't like eating in there. Personally I hate eating on my lap. I always seem to spill something on myself.
We try to, but unfortunately Mr P doesn't always come home from work at a reasonable time..in which case I try to eat with the kids, but this isn't always possible as at least one child has eaten earlier due to going out somewhere or other!
When the kids were little, yes we did all sit at the table together. Nowadays I have the old fashioned 'Sunday Dinner Rule'. This is the time we all make sure we are there to eat toghether, and catch up on what's been happening all week :o)
Always at the table. Inside on cold days, outside on the verandah on warm ones. Proper food, no packets. Always with proper cutlery, proper napkins (not paper), nice china and good glasses. Mr A and I have standards only sightly less than those of Hyacinth B. And my candlelit suppers are always well attended...........
When I was growing up we all sat together every day. It was good, but those who say it keeps a family together are talking rubbish, it didn't with mine! As long as you talk and treat each other with respect then who cares where you eat?
Always at the table at my parents and when at home - just don't like eating of my lap. As a young child I used to eat off a coffee table sitting on the floor watching tv and my parents had a tv table each to eat on.
Our son is an only so we always sit round the table and eat together otherwise he'd eat on his own. Our whole extended family are great ones for sitting round the table and talking adults and kids included, it's a huge part of our family life.
We go out to nice restaurants occasionaly too so that our kids know how to order food properly and use the right cutlery (lol!)
3 times a day, everyday, at the table. i wouldn't want my kids to eat on laps: the mess it would cause and sticky fingers on soft furninshings despite linen napkins would be disasterous.
It probably makes a difference that we don't have a TV.