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What are meals like in your house? Does everyone talk and share? Are some people "on the run?".... Do you eat in your kitchen or dining room?....Or do you like to eat in front of the TV? Are meals "happy times" or "somber events?" What were meals like when you were growing up? Thanks....
Meals are generally at the kitchen table and it's a time to catch up on the day's events. Very different from what I grew up with. We don't eat any meals in front of the tv, but you can almost see the tv from the kitchen table; you can hear it if it is loud enough. Sometimes the news is on and we like to keep an "ear out" if there is anything specific that we are interested in. I like our meals to be peaceful and enjoyable. Most holiday dinners and dinner parties, which are rare now, are at the dining room table. Growing up, we generally fended for ourselves. Very different in my household.
We eat together as much as possible, mostly when my husband is able to make it home for dinner (he works a lot). When it's just me and the kids, they like to eat together in front of the TV. I know, I'm a bad mommy, but we do spend enormous amounts of time together otherwise (small house no choice) and we do everything else together too.
When we do eat together, it's a lot of fun. We laugh and share stories of the day. I also insist on manners at the table so the kids know how to behave when they eat out. A few weeks ago, though, everyone was stressed so I started a food fight. I've never done something like that before and would have let the kids have it if they'd started it, but we all needed to blow off stress so we let loose. Dinner was chicken in broth over spaghetti so we all were picking pasta out of our hair that night, but it was a blast. Good thing we have dogs to help clean up the mess!
My parents always tried to make meals fun and exciting and lively...This what I try to do today with my family even if we are eating leftovers or something simple like sandwiches and chips....We have the TV on but it's mostly "background noise" unless something catches our attention. When my son eats with us he gives me a lot of support when I am cooking and has a way of making meals super exciting...He is grateful for everything I make and do for him....It's wonderful to see my parents and their culture live on inside my son.
Been empty nesters for a long time now, meals can be on the kitchen island, in front of the TV, or me in front of the computer, him watching TV. We have a table with all the leaves taken out so it's small and round but we don't use it often.
I live in the city, so my kitchen is the size of your average suburban bedroom closet. Hence, we eat in the living room. For the most part, it's fresh vegetables all week, but every weekend, I cook a gourmet meal. Either French or Spanish/Portuguese. Often, we invite friends over for this. It's the best part of the week.
We eat together at the dining room table almost every night--we might eat in front of the TV once a week, if that, to watch a movie together. My husband and older daughter have taekwondo twice a week, and it seems like the days change a lot, so sometimes we don't eat until they get home at 8:30. It's kind of chaotic, but eating together is important to me. We don't answer the phone, we turn off the TV so no one is distracted (sometimes we will put music on, though), nobody starts eating until everyone is served and seated, and no one leaves until everybody is finished eating (homework is the one exception).
When I was growing up, my family ate off TV trays and watched the tube every night. My parents still usually do that.
Just us now and we eat in the breakfast nook off the open kitchen Haven't used the dining room since moving here. When kids were home we all ate in the dining room and had lots of extra kids at the table most every night-it was wonderful with much and varied conversations.
When I was growing up there were 4 of us kids, all playing multiple, but different sports throughout the year. We were never all home at the same time during the week to eat together. My mom would make a meal and we'd it whenever we were around. We'd always usually eat together for Sunday dinners, but they were very relaxed and casual. Sometimes at the table, sometimes not.
Now my fiance and I eat in front of the tv almost every night while we catch up on our shows. The coffee table suits us well Sometimes if we have a lot to discuss or want to feel like we are out somewhere we will sit at our bistro table......in the basement. (Same place we watch tv and eat!)
We do have a kitchen table, but rarely use it. Once in a while with friends. If it is nice out, we eat outside on our back patio whenever possible.
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) and we do everything else together too. 
Sometimes if we have a lot to discuss or want to feel like we are out somewhere we will sit at our bistro table......in the basement. (Same place we watch tv and eat!)
