Babies: 9 - 12 Months

Do you eat dinner as a family?

I just started reading a new eating book, Child of Mine - feeding with love and good sense, because although DS is a good eater I find that we have to distract him with Puffs or other finger food to keep him from crying or wrestling out of the high chair. ?I just don't want to bribe him with food to get him to eat, I think it's just wrong...I'd rather he eat because he wants to and not feel all guilty or anxious if he doesn't eat the exact amount each meal.

ANYWAY (sorry for the tangent), she suggests eating all meals together so that it's an enjoyable family experience. ?It's something I've been trying to do, but I just find it so difficult to prepare an entire meal without DS hanging all over me (DH is usually off to work by the time dinner is being prepared, or if he's home we usually go for a walk before dinnertime and cook dinner after DS is in bed).

If you eat dinner together as a family, how do you do it? ?Put DC in a playpen or bouncer to keep them occupied? ?Have Dh help? ?Just wondering...?

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Re: Do you eat dinner as a family?

  • Yes, we always eat together.  I just have ds play in the next room where I can keep my eye on him or he's in his high chair.  He plays pretty independently lately, so it's usually not a problem.  I love my slow cooker, too. 
  • we try. if we're eating on the couch (yes i know it's bad, but we've always done it. and yes we're watching TV) we pull his high chair over (facing away from the tv) and eat at the same time. otherwise we eat at the table with the boy. generally while whoever is cooking the other one feeds the boy the majority of his dinner. then he has finger foods while we eat. 
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  • sometimes we do, sometimes we don't.  it's a really important thing for me that we do all eat as a family.  but sometimes i'm late coming home and i don't want dh to starve her just for me.  i think as she gets older and is able to sit still for longer stretches it won't be such a challenge.  if the intention is there to make it a priority it will happen.
  • ajanesajanes member
    I wish.  Honestly, in our house it just doesn't happen at this point.  We do on the weekends but I can't tell you the last time it happened during the week.  If we gain custody of DSS, I will make sure it happens because I think it's important as they get older. But, at this point it's not happening for us.
  • We never use to eat at our dining room table, until DS starting eating. We no longer have a coffee table in our living room since it has sharp edges and my living room is completly child proof. I make dinner while DS plays and then we all eat together at the dinner table. Now that we don't have the coffee table, we have no other place to eat but the dining room table. I do sometimes give DS puffs while I'm making dinner. Sometimes he gets dinner as I'm cooking our dinner. I wouldn't stress about it to much.
  • WE try to always eat dinner together.

    If DH is home from work then we also usually eat lunch together.

    DD#1 4/3/2008 TTC in 2012
  • Yes, we do eat as a family. If DH is home he keeps LO occupied while I cook, if he is at work, I let her play in her highchair in the kitchen with me. She is pretty good at independent play right now.
  • We do almost every night.  The only exception is when DH is working late- if he's going to be later than 7:30, DD and I will eat together or I'll sit with her when she eats and then eat late with DH (DD starts her bedtime routine at 8pm). 

    To prepare meals, I try to plan ahead.  DD usually takes two naps a day, so if something is going to take a lot of prep, I'll do it during one of the naps.  I also stock up on healthy frozen entrees and veggies from Trader Joe's.  Even on a really bad day, I can get one of their frozen multi grain veggie lasagnas and a salad on the table with about three minutes of effort. 

    Otherwise, I have two tricks for keeping DD occupied during prep.  First, I have a whole shelf of plastic containers and kid-size play utensils in the island where DD can reach them.  She loves to play with these.  Second, I have a clamp on seat for the island where she can sit at eye level and play with toys or watch me prep dinner.  I think she feels more included this way. 

    As for eating together, the hardest part is really making it a priority and getting into the habit, but once you establish it, you'll find you can't imagine eating by yourself anymore.

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  • We don't.  Eventually that's my goal, but right now DD starts her bed time routine @ 6:15 so there's no way we could eat together, as DH doesn't get home from work until 6.  So right now, DD eats at 5:30, and then when she goes to bed I make dinner for DH and I.  Once she's a little older, and I can push her bedtime back until 7, then I do hope for us to eat together.  She def. eats better when she's eating w/ others.
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  • Yep. DH makes dinner while I watch and play with her. Sometimes, if I need some alone time, she sits in the highchair and plays with some toys in the kitchen while he cooks. We just ate together tonight, and I really enjoy it. 
  • yeah. 99% of the time. some days we just can't make it possible (aidan is hungry early or something) but usually yes.
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