I grew up in a rather formal household. I don't really care what anybody thinks of me eating my dinner in front of the T.V., which is a far cry from my upbringing. I'm not doing that in front of anyone who is not immediately related to me, and if I want to relax and eat in front of the T.V., that is my business and nobody else's. It's trashy and kind of pathetic to be so up in other people's business that you're concerned about them eating in front of the T.V.

Anonymous wrote:Every night? Kind of. But Friday nights, while having Pizza and Movie Night? Absolutely the best!

+1. Five nights a week we eat dinner as a family at the table. Friday and/or Saturday if we are home it’s dinner and a movie as a family.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
There's no wall space for a table, so no. And I didn't say we eat with the tv on each night. You said that. I just said we eat on the couch. Our other two options would be to eat on the bed or standing up. Neither DD nor I are morning people, so we'd rather sleep later and eat breakfast on our way to school and work. There's NOTHING magical about eating DINNER at a table. The idea behind it is that families are busy and dinnertime is when they all connect. But DD meets me at work at 5pm, we get home together, and then spend the next four hours talking while doing homework, chores, showers, cooking, cleaning up, making lunch for the next day. It's a one-bedroom apartment. We spend tons of time together. I'm not worried in the least about how we eat our meals.

I agree, it does sound like you have more pressing issues to worry about.

Concern trolling at its finest.

Lol - I love DCUM. Always here to remind me how many things I do that others have a problem with!

Okay, everyone. This is yet another zombie thread (from 2015) revived for god knows what reason. FYI.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve never owned a tv but when I lived alone I almost always read a book or worked. I don’t think watching tv is functionally different.

+1, I eat meals while working a lot. I also eat some meals standing up in the kitchen. If anything, eating while watching some TV feels more "civilized."

Eating at the table alone feels depressing to me.

I’ve never owned a tv but when I lived alone I almost always read a book or worked. I don’t think watching tv is functionally different.

Anonymous wrote:Again, what if you live alone? 27% of Americans do.

Then you eat cereal 🥣 over the sink

Anonymous wrote:I do find it vulgar, to be honest. Do people use TV trays or just eat in your lap? What if you have a big plate of spaghetti with a drippy sauce, or tacos? Does it just dribble everywhere? We do it occasionally for pizza and even then I'm afraid I see the kids wiping greasy hands on the couch.

We only do it occasionally but... It's not that hard? I mean how do you eat tacos normally? If we're eating on the couch, we put the plate on the coffee table and use a napkin like a normal person. And if a meal was very messy, I probably would not choose to eat it on the couch.

Anonymous wrote:My husband and I both grew up in large families. All meals were served and eaten at a big table, no tv. In my house you were forced to talk about issues of the day, what might be on your mind. His home meals were eaten in silence.

We both HATED it. So we never forced our kids to live with such strict rules. We have a dining room table, stools for the kitchen counter. You can eat there or in the living room with the tv on. Your choice. That goes for company too.

When we visited others, we did what they preferred.

Call it trashy. I don't care. We live how we want to live.

Same! My family dinners growing up were a source of conflict and unhappiness. But we were all at the table together, so I guess it wasn't trashy.

Now it depends on whether we are all eating together. About 4 nights a week, we eat dinner at the table with DD. Other nights she will eat early due to activities, or DH and I will eat late because one of us has an engagement (PTA meeting, yoga) and she'll eat at the counter. We often eat breakfast together on the weekend.

But no strict rules even when we eat together, other than to be kind to each other (always applies), have good manners, and clear your plate to the kitchen when you are done. DD almost always finishes eating before us and we don't make her stay at the table unless she wants to.

As a family, we bond in other ways, by playing games, reading together, going hiking, listening to music, etc.

Anonymous wrote:I think that it sets up very bad practices. Dinner should be eaten as a family. It is a social time. Reliance on electronics instead of human communication breeds people who are unable to communicate properly.

I do eat in front of the TV when alone.

Or be with themselves without distraction?
Sorry it was too easy.

Absolutely trashy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes ...as I bite into my filet of fish, with my 3 year old and her fillet of fish, my hi-c spiked with vodka, and my live in Bf on the other side of the couch ..unapologetically at 930pm.

Funny troll.

I was telling the truth

I do find it vulgar, to be honest. Do people use TV trays or just eat in your lap? What if you have a big plate of spaghetti with a drippy sauce, or tacos? Does it just dribble everywhere? We do it occasionally for pizza and even then I'm afraid I see the kids wiping greasy hands on the couch.

Anonymous wrote:It's called life.

Trashy life, maybe.

Not everyone lives in a trailer.