Is this rude?

[Anonymous]

It is rude. It is also perfectly ok for you to say this is not okay at your dinner table. What they do home is entirely different, but when they are eating at your house, it is your rules.

[Anonymous]

It's rude to do it at the dinner table. It's like reading the paper, a book, an article while others are sitting with you - unless the others are strangers sharing a table.

The rest of it, with the laptop up, loud chatting, ... I'd limit it to 1 hour per night, some time needs to be spent on family interaction. This reminds me of a commercial where the power in the house goes out, so everybody comes from all 4 corners of the house to sit together in the dimmed living room and the mother smiles. I forget what the commercial was selling.

[Anonymous]

I'd tell them not no, hell no !!!

[Anonymous]

It's very rude, yes. You're in an awkward spot but maybe you could speak to their dad about this? He is the one who should be saying no to the kids on stuff like this. Up to him how he limits or doesn't limit their phone and texting and internet use in general, but texting or talking on the phone during dinner and yakking loudly on the phone or computer while others are clearly trying to have a quiet "in person" conversation or just relax is a definite no no. In your house, in his house, in any house.

[Anonymous]

it's awful. my nephew visited for the weekend and it was ridiculous. he was on the phone, computer, texting all day. this new generation of kids worries me.

[Anonymous]

We have a "cell phone OFF between dinner and 9 pm" rule in our house, as well as a rule that until all homework is done, computer/internet use is only allowed for academic purposes. I can't swear the kids don't sometimes sneak onto chat or facebook when they are not supposed to-- but they know I might come and look over their shoulders at any time, so they stay pretty focused. Once their homework is done it's fine for them to text or chat, but they know very well that anything that makes noise needs to be done somewhere it won't bother other people! Video chat that is loud is no less rude than having a loud phone conversation in the living room when others are trying to read or study.

I think the issue is basic good manners, not anything new with the internet age. Children should learn that it's rude to interrupt conversations to take non-urgent calls, it's rude to interrupt conversations to read and respond to non-urgent text messages, and it's rude to be loud where others are trying to get some quiet time. the bottom line is that kids should learn to be considerate, whether it's about phone calls or doing a crossword as a PP said or texting or whatever. And any parent who doesn't expect good manners from their children is doing them an extreme disservice I think, because sooner or later those kids will be out there with others who are less adoring than their parents! And it will not help them in life if people think of them as rude people.