What is a typical family meal in your house like?

[nestof3]

Our youngest was reading jokes from an insect joke book tonight, and I started wondering what other family dinners are like. Sometimes, I will quiz the other family members with history or science questions. I also have American History and World History Jeopardy quiz books I use. During lunch, I sometimes quiz the young boys with the Brain Quest cards. We used to listen to audio books at lunch time.

Sometimes I spend the entire dinner reminding Nathan not to talk so much. Sometimes I feel I am correcting them constantly for interrupting, or for bickering, or for talking with food bulging out their cheeks.

What about you?

[Daisy]

We usually just chit-chat. I think tonight we talked about the ingredients of the jam we were smearing on our biscuits. LOL. Sometimes, DH talks about work and the kids share what they did for school. Sometimes, we rail against the injustices in this world. Sometimes, the kids try to make animal noises and we have to put the breaks on. We just "hang out". After Dad is done eating we do family Bible time and he reads aloud to us.

[Tammy]

but that is because I am always trying to find the humor in things, LOL!

[GailV]

At lunch I read whatever Little House on the Prairie book we're currently slogging through (right now it's The Long Winter) while a Suzuki piano CD (vol.1 or 2) plays in the background.

At the evening meal we chit-chat and sneak food to the cat. You know that scene in National Velvet where they're all talking about this and that, and giving food to the dog? That's us, except with fewer people and with a cat instead of a dog.

Other than my read alouds, house rules are no reading at the table. Also, no singing at the table, although I don't quite recall how that one came about.

[sclisa]

We generally discuss the events of the day and then move onto another topic. Those topics range from the more intellectual (politics, theology, my son's scientific questions/thoughts, etc.) to the completely inane (tabloid headlines seen while in a line, silly jokes, puns, etc.). We are not at all a quiet family, and our conversations are always spirited. However, we are careful to be respectful of one another.

I should also add that the above conversations are often punctuated by comments such as, "Please leave all 4 chair legs on the floor;" "You cannot stand on the high chair tray!;" "Please chew and swallow before answering." :D

In spite of the noise & chaos, apparently it's enjoyable for everyone. Even my oldest daughter insists on family dinner every night.

Lisa

[PrairieAir]

We don't eat at the table often. Those times when we do eat together, it is usually while watching CSI in the family room, and even then not all of us will be there. The oldest is usually at work from after school until close and the other three are at sports practices at different times. We still talk and laugh and joke together during meals and every time in between.

[True Blue]

We are always coming and going as well.

When we really sit down and eat together though it is hysterical. Lots of talking, usually quizzing each other on whatever we are studying - the kids are more into it than us parents. Its just so much fun and makes me smile. We should probably work on our manners more though, I've seen more than one of my children shout out an answer with food in their mouths. I hate to scold them though when they are so enthusiastic. Plus, we are making great memories.

[Margaret in CO]

We mostly go over what went on during the day--lambing wrecks, which of the big girls called, etc. and then discuss what needs to happen next: Scouts, track, etc. Our meals tend to be pretty short--just too much to do! My ds was quite impressed the other day when he ate next door at his aunt's and they talked for close to an HOUR! Of course, they're pretty well retired... :D

[Michelle T]

DH almost always gets home from work well after DS and I have eaten. On the rare occasions we are all at the table eating dinner together, we generally just talk about whatever comes up, general chit chat. DS does always need at least one reminder to sit with his legs in front of him, feet on the floor, and usually also needs to be prompted to finish his food.
Michelle T

[Danestress]

Usually my husband gets home right before dinner (he often struggles to get home befor 7:00, and we wait for him). So usually we sort of catch up on our days - he'll tell us what was going on at work - the boys will tell him about their day. We do tend to chat a lot during dinner, but I intentionally don't quiz or question the children because I am not sure my own kids would really enjoy that, and I want dinner to be enjoyable. I do a lot of quizzing in the car, though.

[Plaid Dad]

We usually have a combination of adult- and kid-introduced conversation topics, although we usually have to remind dd to focus less on talking and more on eating. ;) Occasionally if my dw and I are both working late, dd eats her meal before the rest of us. In that case we let her read at the table as a treat (we don't allow that when we all eat together).

I really love our family meals. When I was growing up, we always had the news on. The reports were often less than appetizing, but the only time we turned the set off was when there was a report on sludge and we were having stew. :ack2: And people ask me why I'm so anti-TV... ;)

[Doran]

I don't think we have typical. Some nights, I've prepared a real meal -- meat, vegetable, salad, starch. I've worked for hours to get it done, and I'm proud of the results. Like tonight. Roast chicken, roasted Brussels sprouts, quinoa, tossed salad w/ homemade dressing.

But, tonight, my family came to the table like a bunch of baboons. Dh and dd1 were in a major, loud, debate that was senseless. Dd2 decided she needed to pee seconds before we were meant to sit down, then fell into her chair and stabbed a piece of chicken which instantly fell off her fork and landed on the tablecloth. After we were seated, I realized I'd left one of the menu items on the stove. Dd got up to retrieve that while dh ladled a mound of food on his plate that looked like he hadn't eaten in a month. Everyone was chattering simultaneously about whatever came to mind. Lordy! I was happy when we could get to chewing so that the blabbering stopped.

Other nights, we have a real meal AND meaningful conversation - sometimes our very best as a family, because it's often the only time we are all together in once place that day.

Many nights, one or more of us is scattered to an activity or meeting.

Several times a week, I make a "bowl" meal. Stir fry. Beans and rice (or some close cousin). Simple fare -- what we call peasant fare -- and we do what we call a Sit Around. We eat off our laps instead of at the table and enjoy the ease of that. Not long ago I remarked that my children might have really odd ideas about how dining should look given how many meals we eat that way. I think it grew out of dh and I starting our married lives together while living aboard a small sailboat. Regardless of how unconventional it is, I think it's our favorite way to eat.

Doran

[lovemyboys]

At lunch I read whatever Little House on the Prairie book we're currently slogging through...

Other than my read alouds, house rules are no reading at the table. Also, no singing at the table, although I don't quite recall how that one came about.

Lunch is usually for our read-aloud. That means my lunch is a bit weird, but that's ok. At dinner, we often try to share our day with dh. I like to sneak in their narrations here, since they're often quite good (for Dad!). We've listened to music and books on tape too.

Other than that, it's alot of "we don't talk about that at the table" "we don't make that noise." So I guess we're doing some of the laughing Tami's talking about too.:tongue_smilie:

I'm also currently experimenting with someone's suggestion (Parisarah?) to serve the vegetable as the first course before the main meal. So far it's working pretty well. And I'm working on Joanne's and others suggestions to get away from the short-order cook thing too. Thanks!

[mysticamethyst]

Breakfast is usually just quiet, we are all still trying to wake up for the day and I would shock them if I actually cooked anything.
Lunch they are on their own, I put WeeOne down for nap and take a computer break myself. Dinner each person is asked what their favorite part, worst part and learned part of the day was. Each person has to say while the others listen. This way dad catches up on what happen with them during the day. My kids actually do this when we are out as well, they think its great. If they are still eatting when this is done there might be some minor quizzing of facts or something.

[WTMindy]

Breakfast I read to the kids

Lunch is my "duty-free lunch" (left over term from my public school teaching days where everyone always talked about their duty-free lunch) kids make their lunch, eat it and clean up while I have a half hour to myself.

Dinner-almost always fun interesting conversations among the four of us. We talk about the day and other topics of interest.