Do you sit at the table during meal times or eat in front of the tv??
By greengal
@greengal (4286)
United States
February 5, 2007 12:39pm CST
I like to sit with my family at the table at meal times. I gives me a feeling of togetherness and it also encourages good conversation. It's not possible at all times because a few of us are busy and eat at different times.
Back home, we made sure at least we ate one meal at the table together, mostly dinner. We also made sure the television was switched off so we could talk to each other. Here, it's only my husband and I, and he prefers to eat while sitting on the couch and watching television...so no meals at the table at all. I miss those times when we ate together as a whole family. I don't think people even notice what they are eating because they are so engrossed in the idiot box.
What do you do? Eat at the table or gobble up what's on your plate while watching tv??
19 people like this
110 responses
@clod0327 (817)
• Philippines
6 Feb 07
We we're raised by my mom & dad that we should all sit at the table at dinner time and we should eat together. I remember my dad always says that we can never eat & watch at the same time. We should finish one thing first, before doing another. So we're really disciplined when it comes to that area.
So since childhood our practice is always to eat together. And up to now, it has never change. Even if I have my own family now, we always make it a point to have dinner together. It's a perfect way to have a conversation with each of our family members. Would you imagine, it will sometimes takes us an hour and a half to finish our meal because, everyday we have a lot of stories to tell. Dinner time is always a great bodning moment for us.
@jmcafam (2890)
• United States
5 Feb 07
We sit at the table. Every once in a while we have a picnic in the living room floor.I think it is just a good time to sit at the table. It allows us all to be at the same place and talk about the things we had done during the day.Even the baby sits and eats with us at the table.
2 people like this
@cutejhan18 (910)
• Philippines
5 Feb 07
i usually eat infront of the TV speciallt when im watching my favorite shows, can't leave the TV.
2 people like this
@alfa62603 (192)
• Philippines
6 Feb 07
there are times we eat while the tv is open and sometimes not.....its hard to avoid when your dining area has its own place for the tv :p
2 people like this
@hmbw_24 (404)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Hi, my family eats at the table together. I admit that it was not the good intentions of being together and having conversations that made us start doing this though. you see i have 2 sons and we used to eat in the living room while watching tv. that was when i had older dark color carpet, then about a year ago i got new light color carpet so we went to the table! i am so glad that we did. it is just a much more enjoyable experience and i think its just another of the little things that make famalies closer! soon we will be sitting at the table eating that delicious recipe you gave me!!!!
2 people like this
@pagli84 (1850)
• Netherlands
6 Feb 07
i live alone right now in a tiny room in a student hostel, so i eat by myself and usually in front of the computer or sitting on my bed in front of the tv. the only times i eat at the table are when i am having group dinners with my friends or when im with family.
2 people like this
@sunnypub (2128)
• United States
5 Feb 07
I would love to eat at the table as a family. I remember doing that all the time when I was growing up and I thought it was great. My husband is the issue with me also. He does not back me up because he would rather eat in front of the tv. So when I try to make my daughter join me at the table, she always says, why do I have to if daddy isn't.
On those rare occassions when I can get everyone at the table, it i just wonderful. I enjoy spending the time and talking with my family. It is a war that i will not give up on. I just think it is a great way for families to sahre time together.
@cutieissa (413)
• Philippines
6 Feb 07
its sad for me to say that i usually eat my meals in front of the tv or computer. it is a very rare opportunity for my family to eat together at the table. back in the past, we eat together especially during dinner. but now, with my dad always traveling and me busy at the hospital, its very rare that we eat together. i miss those times when we talk and rib around each other, or even quarrel over food. sigh, those were the days..
2 people like this
@vijayganesh (843)
• India
6 Feb 07
For really, I will sit on floor and eat, or say its our tradition, our whole family member sit on floor and eat together (of course in plate). But I eat in front of TV, everytime I eat.
But I eat carefully, even a single hair I can figure out, when fallen.
But sometimes I rather leave TV to eat with my family members together.
I watch TV as well as eat at the same time, only when I am alone or with my mother.
Have a nice day.
@jinkson_unoh (186)
• Philippines
6 Feb 07
I think people have different preferences in making their meal as more enjoyable as they could. Eating while infront of tv is just normal especially if you're watching you're favorite movie or tv show. Maybe you should set rules on what day there should be when all is required to be present at the table for official dinner time. Or least eat in a restaurant if you prefer to have your family be together sometime when having dinner :)
@Fallen_Gurl (480)
• Canada
6 Feb 07
sumtymes i sit at the table most tymes i get my meal and come in here at the computer and do wat i was doing b4 i get asked to get off!
2 people like this
@pranaydharmale (138)
• India
6 Feb 07
Well this question has an obvious answer in front of TV . It's obvious for me because i watch TV mostly while eating . and i enjoy it that way. It gives me the ultimate pleasure of eating. Sitting at tables is also good from health point of view but it's very formal.
@sweetlady10 (3611)
• United States
5 Feb 07
Like you I also think that having meal together at table is a important thing for a family. It's all about togetherness and spending time with each other.
Me and my husband always take meal together at table. No TV at eating time at all.
1 person likes this
@vinancynfla (13)
• United States
5 Feb 07
My husband and I raised 6 kids and we would never have eaten any where except as a family at the table. Now the kids are long gone, we ae in our sixties, we eat in the den in matching reciners, with our feet up watching the news. One meal a day is still eaten at a table. We either go out for breakfast or out for lunch. When the kids and grandkids visit we all eat in the dining room.
@randyequal (439)
• China
6 Feb 07
I think it is better to turn off TV when a family are sitting togher having dinner..but in most cases, our family talk in a dinner while turning the TV on...Sometimes we are focused in our talk, sometimes we are focused on TV.
you can suggest you husband sit in front of table while leaving the TV on, so you can talk and watch TV, which solves you current problem..
1 person likes this
@cwilson26 (2735)
• United States
6 Feb 07
It's just me and my husband and we are more comfortable in front of the t.v. During Christmas and Thanksgiving we go to my mom and dads and we eat at the table because my mom asks us to. This year my husband was allowed to eat in front of the t.v during Christmas and Thanksgiving because he just got his teethe pulled and said he was too embarrassed to eat at the table with us. I don't blame him. I wouldn't want to eat in front of anyone either if I had no teethe, lol.
When I was a kid we sometimes ate at the table. Mostly during holidays. My dad will eat at the table no matter if anyone sits with him or not. He says he feels more comfortable that way.
2 people like this
@x3temptationx (677)
• United States
6 Feb 07
I can't even remember the last time my family has eaten at the table. My family isn't really that close, theres always dinner on the table but nobody eats together. We just get out food, and head into our seperate rooms. I sometimes eat in front of the tv, but also sometimes in front of the computer.
@Ishkhara (22)
• Romania
6 Feb 07
As any teen I prefer eating ain front of the television, but as a future doctor, I recommend the sanctity of the table. When you eat in front of the tv, you are not concentrating on the actual food that you eat, but you pay attntion to the show. When we eat, we must think of the food, chew it at least 20 times, and then swallow it. You will feel much better after doing this because the stomack is being helped with thw maceration of the food and it will be much more easier for it to digest. And another thing. If you decide to eat a salad with your meal, eat the salad first because it also helpes digestion by producing the ensymes that the stomach needs to digest. Hope I could help.:)
