When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

"merryb" > wrote in message
...
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

These days the family is just two of us. Before that though, we tried to
have a family meal most nights for four of us. Tough to do with teenagers,
but 4 or 5 nights it worked.

My daughter moved in with us for three months when she was moving. It was
nice to have the "family" meal again. Lots of kibitzing at the table and a
pleasant hour or so. Weekend breakfasts too.

On Oct 27, 1:35*pm, "Ed Pawlowski" > wrote:
> "merryb" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> These days the family is just two of us. Before that though, we tried to
> have a family meal most nights for four of us. *Tough to do with teenagers,
> but 4 or 5 nights it worked.
>
> My daughter moved in with us for three months when she was moving. *It was
> nice to have the "family" meal again. Lots of kibitzing at the table and a
> pleasant hour or so. *Weekend breakfasts too.

Excellent- it is a little bit of juggling at times, but worth it!

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Growing up we ate supper as a family, and sometimes my father worked
late so we waited for him to arrive home. When I was married we ate
supper together, whoever was going to be late tha other waited. Now
my cats keep me on an even tighter schedule, they have built in atomic
clocks.

On 27/10/2011 4:11 PM, merryb wrote:
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner he
had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function or
another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. MY mother
always had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners. On
Sundays we used the good china. Breakfast and lunch were eaten at the
kitchen table.

On 10/27/2011 2:11 PM, merryb wrote:
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?


Most families with kids are so over-scheduled, that sports, lessons,
religious ed, practices and games cut into dinner times. Often these
people exist on drive-through fast food not because they can't cook but
because they are caught up between delivering 2-3 kids to scheduled
activities.

gloria p

yes at least one meal a day, doesn't have to be dinner, but once a day when
there is no hurry, Lee
"merryb" > wrote in message
...
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

"merryb" > wrote in message
...
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Nope. Not at all.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
activities so the older we got the less it happened. There's just two
of us now and we usually do. Louise get hungry earlier than me
sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.

Lou

On Oct 27, 1:47*pm, "gloria.p" > wrote:
> On 10/27/2011 2:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Most families with kids are so over-scheduled, that sports, lessons,
> religious ed, practices and games cut into dinner times. *Often these
> people exist on drive-through fast food not because they can't cook but
> because they are caught up between delivering 2-3 kids to scheduled
> activities.
>
> gloria p

Kinda sad, huh? Even if we grab a pizza or teriyaki, we all eat
together.

On Oct 27, 2:07*pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:
> "merryb" > wrote in message
>
> ...
>
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Nope. *Not at all.

For some reason, that does not surprise me.

On Oct 27, 2:41*pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> wrote:
>
> >When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> >it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> >that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> >sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> >option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> >How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
> activities so the older we got the less it happened. *There's just two
> of us now and we usually do. *Louise get hungry earlier than me
> sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>
> Lou * *

I know that will happen as soon as the kid gets his driver's license,
job, girlfriend, etc. It's still nice that you sit and chat with
Louise even if you're not eating!

merryb wrote:
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Yes! But growing up, with 7 of us coming and going, the dinner hour was
never set in stone. We often ate at 7 or later even, but always
together. If dinner was going to be later, my folks always had cocktails
beforehand. I don't recall what we kids got to have but we were always
starving when called to the table and ate well. Dinner often lasted an
hour or so.
Eating early like 5 or 6 pm was never considered desirable in my family.
My husband on the other hand had to adapt to a later dinner hour once we
married. His mother worked in a factory and they ate early.

On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:00:31 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>On Oct 27, 2:41*pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
>> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
>> wrote:
>>
>> >When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>> >it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>> >that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>> >sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>> >option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>> >How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>>
>> Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
>> activities so the older we got the less it happened. *There's just two
>> of us now and we usually do. *Louise get hungry earlier than me
>> sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>>
>> Lou * *
>
>I know that will happen as soon as the kid gets his driver's license,
>job, girlfriend, etc.

We were all very active so it started years before we drove.

>It's still nice that you sit and chat with Louise even if you're not eating!

It doesn't happen often but it's selfish actually. I like hanging
with her. I guess it's an advantage of meeting later in life.

Lou

merryb wrote:

> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Like you, as a child it was. We all had breakfast and dinner together
and when not in school lunch as well, except for pa who would have been
at work on weekdays and often saturdays.

For the last 15 years i have lived with a person who fixed their own
(and often as not my) breakfast, any sort of "lunch" was not any sort of
structured meal but i always, for 15 years fixed an evening meal usually
sitting down to eat it around 7 - 8 pm., depending on the time of year,
later in summer, earlier in winter.

And occasionally a midnight snack could turn into a sit down meal

And even more than "catching up" or discussing current events, i think
the family meal, "at table" (rather than scattered about the house
plugged into various electronic media) is as much a school desk as a
table to eat off of. It is where children learn some of the less
instinctual and more formalized of manners and deportment.

And that as much in any hillbilly cabin as any Royal Palace. The
rituals and manners are more similar than different. Even if one house
lays its forks tines down rather than up and/or the soup spoon
horizontally above rather than vertically beside the bowls

Were i in a position to do so .... "I" would dictate such gatherings as
a sort of family requirement that takes a very good excuse to get out of
much less be late for, if for no other reason than such an early
training of family routines programs a child to such a rhythm and
regularity of social custom that can help the child in not getting
swallowed up in every thing out side of the family, and thus losing a
more immediate & genuine sense of self, can help create a 'touch
stone' effect or other focusing metaphor that does not get lost or
hypnotized, at least as much, by the external seductions of the material
world. A place one can go for "reality" when the illusions of the
'material world' become too much. And that in these effects of family
as much as their physical presence, or lack there of.

I am appalled to see how many adolescents simply refuse to eat like a
normal person at table. And insist on and get away with sprawling on
the floor and stuffing their face while watching "T.V." in all its
various forms.* Even taking a meal in their rooms so they can "study"
while they eat, while a good excuse, should still, imo, be discouraged,
and a parent being able to tell the difference between an honest concern
for discipline and a feeble excuse.

Course i made it easy for me own mum.

.."...one time when he was in 2nd or 3rd grade maybe 6 - 8 years old and
just didn't want to get out of a warm bed on a cold morning he told his
mother he couldn't go to school because he was having his period."

It worked for my sister 7 - 8 times a month

So i gave what latter came to be described as a good imitation of my
sisters suffering from menstrual cramps, and i do remember thinking it
odd how i perceived my mother suddenly getting very rigidly angry at me,
her whole body and face stiffening up, like i had or was just about to
do something wrong, but then her grim face broke and she just started
laughing

Made me a cup of hot chocolate and told me to get ready for school

I shrugged it off, got up, dressed an went to school, one day blended
into the next and then about 15 years latter as i was arrogantly
posturing around, "cock sure" in my full alpha male plumage (military
uniform) she reminded me of me of the incident, and that at 21 or 22 i
might not understand as much as i thought i did.
--
JL

*i know more than one family where the parents and older children have
just accepted an essentially anti social behaviour on the part of the
younger members. Apparently if you force them to eat like normal
people, good food at certain times they make the experience so psychotic
that its just easier to let them take their food to their t.v.'s
computers or whatever other electronics they are addicted to.

And i have been told that short of sending the recalcitrants to an
expensive military style private school they feel checked or stymied,
the more the parents insist on a bare minimum of presence and decorum
the more hostility and psychosis they get and are hoping its just a phase.

On Oct 27, 4:57*pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:00:31 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Oct 27, 2:41 pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
> >> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> >> wrote:
>
> >> >When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> >> >it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> >> >that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> >> >sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> >> >option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day..
> >> >How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> >> Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
> >> activities so the older we got the less it happened. There's just two
> >> of us now and we usually do. Louise get hungry earlier than me
> >> sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>
> >> Lou
>
> >I know that will happen as soon as the kid gets his driver's license,
> >job, girlfriend, etc.
>
> We were all very active so it started years before we drove.
>
> >It's still nice that you sit and chat with Louise even if you're not eating!
>
> It doesn't happen often but it's selfish actually. *I like hanging
> with her. *I guess it's an advantage of meeting later in life. *
>
> Lou *

That's even better if you like her!

On Oct 27, 5:04*pm, "M. JL Esq." > wrote:
> merryb wrote:
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Like you, as a child it was. *We all had breakfast and dinner together
> and when not in school lunch as well, except for pa who would have been
> at work on weekdays and often saturdays.
>
> For the last 15 years i have lived with a person who fixed their own
> (and often as not my) breakfast, any sort of "lunch" was not any sort of
> structured meal but i always, for 15 years fixed an evening meal usually
> sitting down to eat it around 7 - 8 pm., depending on the time of year,
> later in summer, earlier in winter.
>
> And occasionally a midnight snack could turn into a sit down meal
>
> And even more than "catching up" or discussing current events, i think
> the *family meal, "at table" (rather than scattered about the house
> plugged into various electronic media) is as much a school desk as a
> table to eat off of. *It is where children learn some of the less
> instinctual and more formalized of manners and deportment.
>
> And that as much in any hillbilly cabin as any Royal Palace. *The
> rituals and manners are more similar than different. *Even if one house
> lays its forks tines down rather than up and/or the soup spoon
> horizontally above rather than vertically beside *the bowls
>
> Were i in a position to do so .... "I" would dictate such gatherings as
> a sort of family requirement that takes a very good excuse to get out of
> much less be late for, if for no other reason than such an early
> training of family routines programs a child to such a rhythm and
> regularity of social custom that *can help the child in not getting
> swallowed up in every thing out side of the family, and thus losing a
> more immediate & genuine *sense of self, *can help create a 'touch
> stone' effect or other focusing metaphor that does not get lost or
> hypnotized, at least as much, by the external seductions of the material
> world. A place one can go for "reality" when the illusions of the
> 'material world' become too much. *And that in these effects of family
> as much as their physical presence, or lack there of.
>
> I am appalled to see how many adolescents simply refuse to eat like a
> normal person at table. *And insist on and get away with sprawling on
> the floor and stuffing their face while watching "T.V." in all its
> various forms.* *Even taking a meal in their rooms so they can "study"
> while they eat, while a good excuse, should still, imo, be discouraged,
> and a parent being able to tell the difference between an honest concern
> for discipline and a feeble excuse.
>
> Course i made it easy for me own mum.
>
> ."...one time when he was in 2nd or 3rd grade maybe 6 - 8 years old and
> just didn't want to get out of a warm bed on a cold morning he told his
> mother he *couldn't go to school because he was having his period."
>
> It worked for my sister 7 - 8 times a month
>
> So i gave what latter came to be described as a good imitation of my
> sisters suffering from menstrual cramps, and i do remember thinking it
> odd how i perceived my mother suddenly getting very rigidly angry at me,
> her whole body and face stiffening up, like i had or was just about to
> do something wrong, but then her grim face broke and she just started
> laughing
>
> Made me a cup of hot chocolate and told me to get ready for school
>
> I shrugged it off, got up, dressed an went to school, one day blended
> into the next and then about 15 years latter *as i was arrogantly
> posturing around, "cock sure" *in my full alpha male plumage (military
> uniform) she reminded me of me of the incident, and that at 21 or 22 i
> might not understand as much as i thought i did.
> --
> JL
>
> *i know more than one family where the parents and older children have
> just accepted an essentially anti social behaviour on the part of the
> younger members. * Apparently if you force them to eat like normal
> people, good food at certain times they make the experience so psychotic
> that its just easier to let them take their food to their t.v.'s
> computers or whatever other electronics they are addicted to.
>
> And i have been told that short of sending the recalcitrants to an
> expensive military style private school they feel checked or stymied,
> the more the parents insist on a bare minimum of presence and decorum
> the more hostility and psychosis they get and are hoping its just a phase..

I love the way you think, JL Wish more people were on the same page!

On 27/10/2011 7:31 PM, Goomba wrote:

> Eating early like 5 or 6 pm was never considered desirable in my family.
> My husband on the other hand had to adapt to a later dinner hour once we
> married. His mother worked in a factory and they ate early.

It was around our house. I had three brothers and we had lots of evening
activities, homework, baseball, hockey, scouts etc. My father was in a
service club that had regular meetings and activities and he was
involved with the local air cadet squadron. He liked to get home from
work, have dinner, a power nap and then he was busy for the rest of the
evening.

Dave Smith wrote:
> On 27/10/2011 7:31 PM, Goomba wrote:
>
>> Eating early like 5 or 6 pm was never considered desirable in my family.
>> My husband on the other hand had to adapt to a later dinner hour once we
>> married. His mother worked in a factory and they ate early.
>
> It was around our house. I had three brothers and we had lots of evening
> activities, homework, baseball, hockey, scouts etc. My father was in a
> service club that had regular meetings and activities and he was
> involved with the local air cadet squadron. He liked to get home from
> work, have dinner, a power nap and then he was busy for the rest of the
> evening.

When we were young, after school activities such as sports, scouts or
CCD all took place in the afternoon hours soon after school. It was
pretty rare to have events after dinner. Perhaps that kind of life went
the way of the do-do birds?

this is something that should be pointed out, the dh and i aren't always
hungry at the same time so we get two dinners, the one not eating doing the
serving and clearing and it allows for lots of talk time, Lee
"Lou Decruss" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> wrote:
>
>>When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>>it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>>that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>>sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>>option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>>How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
> activities so the older we got the less it happened. There's just two
> of us now and we usually do. Louise get hungry earlier than me
> sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>
> Lou

On Oct 27, 3:47*pm, "gloria.p" > wrote:
> On 10/27/2011 2:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> Most families with kids are so over-scheduled, that sports, lessons,
> religious ed, practices and games cut into dinner times. *Often these
> people exist on drive-through fast food not because they can't cook but
> because they are caught up between delivering 2-3 kids to scheduled
> activities.

I'm glad that except for a few months of baseball every year,
my son has no organized activities at all. He likes his freedom.
>
> gloria p

--Bryan

On Oct 27, 5:00*pm, merryb > wrote:
> On Oct 27, 2:41*pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
> > wrote:
>
> > >When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > >it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > >that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > >sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > >option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > >How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> > Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
> > activities so the older we got the less it happened. *There's just two
> > of us now and we usually do. *Louise get hungry earlier than me
> > sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>
> > Lou * *
>
> I know that will happen as soon as the kid gets his driver's license,
> job, girlfriend, etc. It's still nice that you sit and chat with
> Louise even if you're not eating!

My son wants to follow in my footsteps by not getting a car until he's
well past 16. He likes the idea of skateboard+public transit, though
he said he might get a scooter.

--Bryan

"merryb" > wrote in message
...
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?


Yes, when I was a kid dinner was on the table no later than 6:00. And we
ate together as a family.

Jill

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
m...
> On 27/10/2011 4:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner he
> had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function or
> another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. MY mother always
> had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners. On Sundays we
> used the good china. Breakfast and lunch were eaten at the kitchen table.
>
When I was a teenager my father's "functions" after work were at a
neighborhood bar.

I've got china that was only ever used on holidays. I think it's neat your
mother used the good china

Jill

"gloria.p" > wrote in message
...
> On 10/27/2011 2:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
>
> Most families with kids are so over-scheduled, that sports, lessons,
> religious ed, practices and games cut into dinner times. Often these
> people exist on drive-through fast food not because they can't cook but
> because they are caught up between delivering 2-3 kids to scheduled
> activities.
>
> gloria p


I don't get all this scheduled activity stuff. I'm not a parent but I was a
kid. I would have hated "scheduled" activities. My activities involved
playing outside with other kids in the neighborhood until it got dark. We
made our own fun. We rode bikes. We skated. We played games like tag or
hide and seek or swing the statue. Why on earth do kids have to have all
these schedules? Can't kids just be kids anymore?

Jill

On 28/10/2011 9:22 AM, jmcquown wrote:

>> My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner
>> he had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function
>> or another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. MY mother
>> always had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners. On
>> Sundays we used the good china. Breakfast and lunch were eaten at the
>> kitchen table.
>>
> When I was a teenager my father's "functions" after work were at a
> neighborhood bar.
>
> I've got china that was only ever used on holidays. I think it's neat
> your mother used the good china

When my brothers and I had girlfriends over for dinner they were always
flattered that my mother had the candles out and lit. I hated to deflate
them by telling them we always had candles.

jmcquown wrote:
> "gloria.p" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 10/27/2011 2:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>>> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still
>>> think it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently
>>> heard that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find
>>> that rather sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules
>>> that is not an option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to
>>> catch up on the day. How about you- is it important to you to dine
>>> as a family?
>>
>>
>> Most families with kids are so over-scheduled, that sports, lessons,
>> religious ed, practices and games cut into dinner times. Often these
>> people exist on drive-through fast food not because they can't cook
>> but because they are caught up between delivering 2-3 kids to
>> scheduled activities.
>>
>> gloria p
>
>
> I don't get all this scheduled activity stuff. I'm not a parent but
> I was a kid. I would have hated "scheduled" activities. My
> activities involved playing outside with other kids in the
> neighborhood until it got dark. We made our own fun. We rode bikes.
> We skated. We played games like tag or hide and seek or swing the
> statue. Why on earth do kids have to have all these schedules? Can't kids
> just be kids anymore?

I had all sorts of activities as a child. Dance, choir, violin, scouts,
drama, bowling, tennis, pep club, candle club...

Yes, I think it's really good to sit down and eat together as a family. Not always easy, though, to get everyone together at the same time and then to have good conversation rather than snapping at each other!

And actually it inspired me to start a new enterprise -- to get people talking round the dinner table (and as a neat by-product to learn lots of stuff, too!)
Check us out at Tablewise tablecloths homepage.

Ruth

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:30:32 -0400, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

> don't get all this scheduled activity stuff. I'm not a parent but I was a
> kid. I would have hated "scheduled" activities. My activities involved
> playing outside with other kids in the neighborhood until it got dark. We
> made our own fun. We rode bikes. We skated. We played games like tag or
> hide and seek or swing the statue. Why on earth do kids have to have all
> these schedules? Can't kids just be kids anymore?

Because there are often no other kids their age in the neighborhood
and parents have been scared to death with all the kidnappings on the
news. They don't let their children play on the sidewalk for the same
reasons others (and we have plenty of them here) buy guns.

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:14:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> wrote:

> candle club...

What's candle club?

--
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 06:04:12 -0700 (PDT), Bryan
> wrote:

>On Oct 27, 5:00*pm, merryb > wrote:
>> On Oct 27, 2:41*pm, Lou Decruss > wrote:
>> > On Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:11:08 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
>> > wrote:
>>
>> > >When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>> > >it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>> > >that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>> > >sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>> > >option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>> > >How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>>
>> > Growing up we did whenever possible but we were all involved with
>> > activities so the older we got the less it happened. *There's just two
>> > of us now and we usually do. *Louise get hungry earlier than me
>> > sometimes so I'll sit and chat while she eats and eat myself later.
>>
>> > Lou * *
>>
>> I know that will happen as soon as the kid gets his driver's license,
>> job, girlfriend, etc. It's still nice that you sit and chat with
>> Louise even if you're not eating!
>
>My son wants to follow in my footsteps by not getting a car until he's
>well past 16. He likes the idea of skateboard+public transit, though
>he said he might get a scooter.

Tell the truth... you're just to cheap to buy him one. LOL

In article
>,
merryb > wrote:

> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

I can't imagine not doing it.
My neighbor's family never ate supper until everyone was home, even if
it was 9:30 p.m.
--
Barb,
http://web.me.com/barbschaller September 5, 2011

On Oct 27, 4:11*pm, merryb > wrote:
> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

I get a kick out of these pleas that families eat together at least
once a week.

Dinner for all of us was at the moment Dad waltzed in at night and
there were NO exceptions. Sunday dinner was also a must. Hell, we
even all had to get together for Saturday noon's franks and beans.
KIds run the households now, and parents let em.

On Oct 27, 4:43*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
> On 27/10/2011 4:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>
> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner he
> had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function or
> another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. *MY mother
> always had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners.

Geez, even the Beev, Ward, Wally and June didn't light the CANDLES.
But I think they WERE on the table. Man, you know what gracious living
is.

On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:20:09 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
> wrote:

>On Oct 27, 4:43*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
>> On 27/10/2011 4:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>>
>> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
>> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
>> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
>> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
>> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
>> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>>
>> My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner he
>> had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function or
>> another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. *MY mother
>> always had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners.
>
>Geez, even the Beev, Ward, Wally and June didn't light the CANDLES.
>But I think they WERE on the table. Man, you know what gracious living
>is.

Are you so naive to actually believe him? No one lights candles for
an every day family dinner... odds are they rarely if ever ate dinner
together... likely they all foraged whenever, the candles is a ploy to
cover the truth... 99% of families, when they do eat together it's on
a formica kitchen table without even a table cloth, likely they use
paper towels for napkins, not that there's anything wrong with that...
but I don't for one second believe Dave Smith's family ate their
grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup by candle light every
night... closest they came to candles was a 99¢ Ray-O-Vac flashlight.

On Oct 28, 5:50*pm, Brooklyn1 <Gravesend1> wrote:
> On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 17:20:09 -0700 (PDT), Kalmia
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > wrote:
> >On Oct 27, 4:43*pm, Dave Smith > wrote:
> >> On 27/10/2011 4:11 PM, merryb wrote:
>
> >> > When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> >> > it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> >> > that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> >> > sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> >> > option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> >> > How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?
>
> >> My father used to get home at 5 pm. Supper was at 5:15. After dinner he
> >> had a power nap and then went out for the evening for one function or
> >> another, or he puttered around the house until bed time. *MY mother
> >> always had the dining room table set and we had candle lit dinners.
>
> >Geez, even the Beev, Ward, Wally and June didn't light the CANDLES.
> >But I think they WERE on the table. Man, you know what gracious living
> >is.
>
> Are you so naive to actually believe him? *No one lights candles for
> an every day family dinner... odds are they rarely if ever ate dinner
> together... likely they all foraged whenever, the candles is a ploy to
> cover the truth... 99% of families, when they do eat together it's on
> a formica kitchen table without even a table cloth, likely they use
> paper towels for napkins, not that there's anything wrong with that...
> but I don't for one second believe Dave Smith's family ate their
> grilled cheese and Campbell's tomato soup by candle light every
> night... closest they came to candles was a 99¢ Ray-O-Vac flashlight.

I'll admit that we sometimes use TV trays!

In article
>,
merryb > wrote:

> When I was a kid, we always had dinner as a family, and I still think
> it's important- my dad insisted on dinner at 6:30! I recently heard
> that most families do not eat dinner together, and I find that rather
> sad. I do understand that with conflicting schedules that is not an
> option, but if it's possible, it's a good time to catch up on the day.
> How about you- is it important to you to dine as a family?

Yes, it is. And so we do.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

In article >,
ruth griffiths > wrote:

> Yes, I think it's really good to sit down and eat together as a family.
> Not always easy, though, to get everyone together at the same time and
> then to have good conversation rather than snapping at each other!
>
> And actually it inspired me to start a new enterprise -- to get people
> talking round the dinner table (and as a neat by-product to learn lots
> of stuff, too!)
> Check us out at

Go away, spammer.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:30:32 -0400, "jmcquown" >
> wrote:
>
>> don't get all this scheduled activity stuff. I'm not a parent but I was
>> a
>> kid. I would have hated "scheduled" activities. My activities involved
>> playing outside with other kids in the neighborhood until it got dark.
>> We
>> made our own fun. We rode bikes. We skated. We played games like tag
>> or
>> hide and seek or swing the statue. Why on earth do kids have to have all
>> these schedules? Can't kids just be kids anymore?
>
> Because there are often no other kids their age in the neighborhood
> and parents have been scared to death with all the kidnappings on the
> news. They don't let their children play on the sidewalk for the same
> reasons others (and we have plenty of them here) buy guns.

There were no kids for my daughter to play with here. Either they went
straight to daycare after school or to someone's house to be babysat. In
all cases both parents worked. And in many cases the parents were divorced.
Sometimes the kid would have to go to the other parent's house, not close to
here. There was one girl who was being babysat by her grandfather. He's a
very nice guy but he has some health problems and gets overwhelmed when too
many kids come over. He was watching one other kid presumably for pay.
Moot point really because my daughter and this other girl really have
nothing in common. I got them together for a couple of playdates and they
went to each other's birthday parties. They don't really dislike each
other, but just aren't really friends. My daughter is no old enough to be
left alone as is that other girl, but her grandfather still watches her
after school. She and the other girl that he still watches are really the
only kids home during the week. On the weekends, most of the kids go to the
other parent's house.

"sf" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 28 Oct 2011 07:14:45 -0700, "Julie Bove"
> > wrote:
>
>> candle club...
>
> What's candle club?

A bunch of people who get together and make candles!