I’m a grandmother with a small army of young grandchildren. We have a big kitchen/dining/family room area and here is what I do. In one corner of the FR I have two big plastic boxes filled with toys. I have a small kid size table/chairs that they use for eating plus drawing and art work. In the kitchen there is a big drawer filled with kids plates, sippy cups etc. In the pantry on an out of reach shelf I keep treats. They know it’s there! I want them to feel welcome!

It’s humorous how special everyone in this thread thinks their completely average actions are. Pretty much every family in the world has dinner. Wow you watch movies. Never heard of families doing that.

We have family dinner 7 nights a week

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People seem really focused on food and decor. Great success for the marketing industry.

One of these things is not like the other. Food is a basic necessity that can affect your mind, body, and spirit

See above “interesting snacks laid out...” if thats not marketing, i dont know whatis.

This is silly but have you ever been to MOMs? Ours always has a bunch of sliced bread with jam and butter for people to take. I love that. It’s welcoming and unfussy. And it’s always there.

MOMs is a store which exists for the sole purpose to sell you stuff. They set it up a certain way and call it MOMs to appeal to a certain demographic. In other words, it’s a hook. Thats what marketing is about. They’ll show you cute babies, happy couples in ads, people with great skin, etc. Buy this to be happy. This all organic jam will make your house a home. wake up. you’re a consumer and being pandered to.

My parents had that attitude. The house was perfectly clean and fine, but there was also something very uptight and serious about all the secondhand shopping and couponing and everything is out to trick you. I decided I would never make money the focal point but I would also not let spending it become a sin.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People seem really focused on food and decor. Great success for the marketing industry.

One of these things is not like the other. Food is a basic necessity that can affect your mind, body, and spirit

See above “interesting snacks laid out...” if thats not marketing, i dont know whatis.

This is silly but have you ever been to MOMs? Ours always has a bunch of sliced bread with jam and butter for people to take. I love that. It’s welcoming and unfussy. And it’s always there.

MOMs is a store which exists for the sole purpose to sell you stuff. They set it up a certain way and call it MOMs to appeal to a certain demographic. In other words, it’s a hook. Thats what marketing is about. They’ll show you cute babies, happy couples in ads, people with great skin, etc. Buy this to be happy. This all organic jam will make your house a home. wake up. you’re a consumer and being pandered to.

Pander on, I love the jam. Have never bought it. Why would I, when it's always there?

Side note, I never see ads for MOMs. Where is this -- on TV, computers?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People seem really focused on food and decor. Great success for the marketing industry.

One of these things is not like the other. Food is a basic necessity that can affect your mind, body, and spirit

See above “interesting snacks laid out...” if thats not marketing, i dont know whatis.

This is silly but have you ever been to MOMs? Ours always has a bunch of sliced bread with jam and butter for people to take. I love that. It’s welcoming and unfussy. And it’s always there.

MOMs is a store which exists for the sole purpose to sell you stuff. They set it up a certain way and call it MOMs to appeal to a certain demographic. In other words, it’s a hook. Thats what marketing is about. They’ll show you cute babies, happy couples in ads, people with great skin, etc. Buy this to be happy. This all organic jam will make your house a home. wake up. you’re a consumer and being pandered to.

Anonymous wrote:Two teens here.
Friends over
Sleepovers
Plenty of food in fridge
Welcoming to friends
Family dinner few times a week
Movie night with pizza Friday’s
Dogs (both girls lay on couch with our little dogs)
Garden
Happy to see them

+ we also decorate for holidays esp Xmas play holiday music on end. Log in fireplace candles
No TV during day just music

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People seem really focused on food and decor. Great success for the marketing industry.

One of these things is not like the other. Food is a basic necessity that can affect your mind, body, and spirit

See above “interesting snacks laid out...” if thats not marketing, i dont know whatis.

This is silly but have you ever been to MOMs? Ours always has a bunch of sliced bread with jam and butter for people to take. I love that. It’s welcoming and unfussy. And it’s always there.

This is all really interesting to me. So many good ideas.

My parents were immigrants to a region without many immigrants so we were quite isolated. Father did not like hosting. We did have aspects of what has been mentioned, and other parts seem more culturally American.

The house I grew up in was a wonderful home, but my mom was way to strict about having a presentable house and so I am much more relaxed so the kids aren't always on edge. Also, I have tried to make the basement very kid friendly at different stages so they will always have an inviting area to have friends over. Someone told me a long time ago to try to have one cool thing at your house whether it be pool or trampoline or ping pong table or something else, you don't need everything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People seem really focused on food and decor. Great success for the marketing industry.

One of these things is not like the other. Food is a basic necessity that can affect your mind, body, and spirit

See above “interesting snacks laid out...” if thats not marketing, i dont know whatis.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I let them leave their shit all over the place.

You know, there's something to this. I have a hard time resisting the impulse to move my kids' crap to their rooms, but I felt a deep sense of rejection when my mom would round up my belongings and put them in a bag at the bottom of the stairs for me to bring up. I felt like, "this is supposed to be my house too. If you can leave shoes downstairs, why can't I?" NOTHING on the main floor was mine. And we didn't live a museum by any means. It felt like a rejection, for sure.

Super interesting perspective. Maybe I will lighten up about the main floor a bit.

Cleanliness does make a difference-

My son’s friend thinks our house is more comfortable because we are casual, and not cleaning up behind them or harping about food/shoes.

Conversely my nephews like my house because it’s orderly. Their mom has hoarder tendencies.

As with all things, there is a balance.

I would say it's about family traditions, NOT decor or cleanliness.

- holidays and how you celebrate them
- birthdays (for all, not just for the kids) and how you celebrate them
- other fun/silly things your family does together, from pizza night to board games to dance parties to whatever...
- when our kids were little (maybe ES, maybe prek amd ES), one winter we were going bonkers! Too cold, to wet, whatever, and we were trapped inside. My husband and I on the spot made up a card game - even gave it a silly name. The 4 of us sat around the table, and when a kid turned over a card (any card!), we took turns, "oh, a 5 ofdiamonds, that means you need to run around the table 5 times," "a jack right after an 8, that means 8 jumping jacks," "a queen, that means you need to give your mom a hug and kiss," "a 7, that means you need to sing a few lines from your favorite song, etc." Iit lasted a ling time (through the entire deck), and they loved it! Boy were we in trouble when they asked for it the next cold/wet/whatever day! They are both in HS now, and STILL talk about/remember that game

Two teens here.
Friends over
Sleepovers
Plenty of food in fridge
Welcoming to friends
Family dinner few times a week
Movie night with pizza Friday’s
Dogs (both girls lay on couch with our little dogs)
Garden
Happy to see them