Anonymous wrote:As usual, I feel like DCUM is a different planet or my kid is very social. My 9th grader was at the mall with friends in Friday and they got dinner and went out to dinner with friends last night. Yes, I gave her money for both. This was a typical weekend. It’s not always 2 dinners but maybe a lunch and a dinner on any given weekend. They are chipotle like dinners, not fancy sit downs.

No her kids are at home and want takeout because she wont cook for them. Your situation is different youre asking about providing social money for teens. This is asking, since I dont cook should I give my teens money for takeout or should they just scramble some eggs.

Wow, OP, that is crazy. It's your job as a parents to provide healthy meals for your kids. Even if you're not cooking every night, there should a be a meal every dinner for the kids and it's your responsibility to provide it.

I would NOT want my kid eating out twice a week. There are easy meals you could make or when you cook, cook enough for 3 nights.

I mean, feeding your kids is kinda basic parenting.

Every man for himself - for food??? So weird!

As usual, I feel like DCUM is a different planet or my kid is very social. My 9th grader was at the mall with friends in Friday and they got dinner and went out to dinner with friends last night. Yes, I gave her money for both. This was a typical weekend. It’s not always 2 dinners but maybe a lunch and a dinner on any given weekend. They are chipotle like dinners, not fancy sit downs.

We're responsible for all meals. If our kids want to eat out, or buy themselves stuff they can't wheedle out of us for special occasions, then they need to buy it with their job money.

They know eating out is very expensive compared to what we can cook at home, so they don't usually do so. Less than once a week for my college kid, and maybe a couple of times in her entire life for my high schooler.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've never not provided a dinner to my kids, who are now college-aged. Doesn't mean I'm cooking every night (sometimes it's DH cooking, or we get pizza, or we're eating leftovers). But there's always a dinner available, and whoever is home is eating together.

+1

This. Dinner time is family time.