Taking food while watching TV

Hi vathsala, actually I don't think there's anything shocking about that. I am a mom and of course I want my daughter to learn and do things properly. But not to the point where I'll be so strict on just about anything. Kids aren't like us grown ups who usually get irritated with mess and spills and all. Kids most of the time don't really care about that. I mean, I'll of course make her eat where she should be like in the dinning area, but it wouldn't hurt me to let her enjoy her meal infront of the tv once in a while. By the way, my daughter haven't started eating yet, but that's how I plan to raise her. By somehow teaching her things but not being too strict on everything. =)

I absolutely don't tolerate that because I was raised that when it's time for eating, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, you take it do it on the dining not in front of the television.

My husband and I often eat on the couch because we don't actually have a dinner table. We don't have TV now, but when we did, we did not eat dinner with the TV on. Once in a great while, we'll eat during a movie if we're doing pizza or something informal like that. But usually, dinner gets our undivided attention. For one thing, eating in front of the TV can lead to not really being aware of what you're eating or how much. We believe in eating mindfully and taking the time to enjoy our food. For another thing, dinner is a good time to connect, especially for families with kids. I think that dinner time is an important way to teach kids about setting priorities, and family comes before TV. When I was a kid, dinner was always at the table. There was no TV allowed. We didn't even answer the phone if it rang during dinner.

i eat food out in the living room all the time. i'm not a kid though so i don't make a big mess like they usually do.. but if i did it would bother my mom a lot. she is a clean freak and can't stand the house being dirty. she doesn't like my nieces to sit out there and eat but they usually do anyway. i like watching the t.v while i'm eating but i can see it from my dinner table too kind of but its more comfortable in the living room lol but i know its better to eat in the kitchen table but a lot of people don't know a days in less theres a reason too.

As a mother I would probably make my kids sit in the dining room at an actual table and with the TV off so we can all eat together; and all talk about our day and have a little "family time". I would not want my kids to sit in front of the TV and eat and make a mess, that's for sure. But to each's own.

I don't have children, but if the parents eat in front of the TV themselves at times, naturally the kids would want to eat there as well. Or maybe it was a special occasion? I would hope its not a commonday occurance as it can form bad habits, not just making a mess... but due to classical conditioning or something similar watching television might trigger the I'm hungry response when one really isn't hungry. This then leads to obesity... not because a person ativly eats to much really, but because of the transmitters in the brain messing with the signals due to the triggers...

Though we have dining table, we hardly use it. We feel comfortable to sit in chair, watching TV we eat. My daughter will take it to her room and eats there by either watching TV or studying for exams. Now-a-days time is mechanical. No extra time to spare for anyone for that matter. So people couple things together and do them. Nothing wrong. But it should not be spilt over. Ants will come and again it is a nuisance for us only. So we should be careful not to spill.

well, when i was growing up, we were not allowed to eat anywhere but the dining table... that means, we can't stay at the living room or in our bedrooms to watch TV. it was just the proper thing to do.. as they say, a family that is having meals together will have a stronger bond that those who have not.. So I think when I have kids that's the same rules that I would impose on them.

i strongly feel that meals should be shared around a table. it is a great way to have conversations and to know what is going on in everyones lives. if you want to stay involved in your childrens lives then you have dinner with them! though we sometimes have movie night and then we eat around the tv. but this is a treat and does not happen often. as far as messes go.. they happen! of course they happen... just laugh it off and clean it up :)