Getting Families back round the table!

[super7]

What is it about modern living that stops people from dining at the table?
Family mealtimes are an opportunity to laugh together, bond and share experiences.

Why do people no longer eat at the table? (discuss)

[MiniN]

Because the soaps are on, only joking!

i haven't a clue why apart from busy social lives and not eating at the same time?

[meltoadhall]

as a family we all sit down at the table for our evening meal and the adult that is not on the early shift sits down with the children for breakfast too.
at the weekends those who are in sit down at the table for lunch as well.
food is not allowed upstairs and the tv is not allowed on while we eat. its a special time when we talk about the day at work, school etc..
on the odd special occasion the children may be allowed to take a sandwich and eat it in front of the tv, but it is a treat.
maybe i'm old fashioned, but thats just the way we are as a family.
we are still busy with lessons, clubs and things like that after school and weekends but still make time to eat together.

[noxlumos]

As many of us as is physically possible eat together (er're all very busy and have different times sometimes) and we usually eat sunday lunch together without fail or go out for it. kids are allowed to eat wherever else in the house they care to wiht things like crackers and sandwiches but main meals are set to the table. I think a lot of people do still eat together when possible, but if it's difficult and you get an "eating together nazi", it defeats the object, as it makes the meal something unpleasant that someone is being forced to do, so although we generally do all eat together it's in no way enforced.

[cy marven]

Eating together as a family is so important. A time to bond and develop as a unit. Distractions such as tv etc can lead to groups of blood related people sharing a house and knowing little about each other. As we get old and when we are very young family nis increasingly important. When we are the 30 or 40 somethings it is easy to prioritise work, social life etc but for sure it will be regretted.
It must be remembered though that there are varying barriers depending oncircumstances. To start with it is much easier if you have a room with table and chairs away from your living / tv room. And time can be a factor.
We always eat together around the table, the youngest are noisey and messy but i would not have it any other way. Cy Marven

[ummmm]

We eat together at the table every night.

[Mrs_Pegasus]

To answer the question literally. I would say that in these 'modern' times, both parents work and probably arrive home at different times. There isnt always someone at home during the day to prep and cook a meal to be sat on the table in time for everyone to sit around and eat it.

The working day has changed with flexi time and customer friendly working times so while someone is in the supermarket at 5.30pm they are probably being served by a mum or dadwho would rather be at home cooking tea for their family to sit at a table and eat!

I work full time and so does my husband but we manage to eat a meal every night around the table. With some team work and organisation its not impossible to cook a meal from scratch and have it on the table at a reasonable time.

[curiosity]

Ditto really, although we are all busy, we all manage to eat around the table every evening Mon -Fri usually between 5 and 7 depending on what time we arrive home, then sometime on a Sunday. Saturday is a bit more adhoc and is usually breakfast we eat together. If someone has arranged to do something else it isn't a sin and if someone says they'll make something when they get in neither is this, but this might happen once a week. We tend to eat takeaways or toasties etc in front of the tele, and if it's an Indian we lay a big table cloth on the floor in the front room and set it all out and dig in. I'm hungry now.

[yolande]

My family always ate together all the way through my childhood. My parents are divorced now though, so it didn't make that much difference in the end!!!!

[tradey]

well we do when we can,my husband works shifts my oldest daughter is at collage then goes to work,so most of the time its me and my nearly 3yr old that eat at the table but i wish we could do it every night

[spudqueen]

We eat together as a family at the table virtually every night of the week. The only times we don't are when Mr Spudqueen is working late and the kids will eat their tea at the table early on and then Mr Spudqueen and I eat ours at the table later on, so we still eat at the table, even if not always all together!

[spanner7853]

because they have no time for there family and would rather watch the telly. I sit at the table every night with my family whether they like it or not.