NationStates Jolt Archive

Do you do them or not? Apparently, it's a good idea.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1200760,00.html

When I was a kid growing up, we had the family meal, but in my teenage years, when my parents were arguing about divorce, the family meal was a living hell.

Now that I have a family of my own, we seem pretty happy to eat together - me, the wife, and five kids. It's usually a fun time, and we get pretty silly sometimes. So I'm wondering what everyone's personal experience and preference is.

All the time, usually big things like barbecues, lasagna or huge breakfasts.

At least one meal a day yes. Mum dad and my brothers. (Only one now my older brother has left) But from september, Uni will stop that!

We used to once every week (on a Sunday), because my dad would get home from work at random times, and my mum played hockey on Saturdays. That happens very very rarely now, though, because I'm away at uni. I know that when/if I have a family I'll want us to have at least one meal together every week.

Yeah, every birthday and Christmas and stuff.

family is just me and my mum and dad, but yes we eat together pretty much every evening. its our main mode of being together and socialising, so its very important to us

my family trys to always have dinner together. its just my parents and i,my brother and sister are at college but when they are home we always have dinner together.

My parents and my brother are coming over today for Fathers today, so I can cook the ultimate BBQ. I love family get togethers, and completely agree with the studies, that informal time for everyone to communicate is a backbone of families.

No, I'm living miles away from any of my family members these days. And I'm quite happy about it. I remember family meals as something dreadful, especially when they still included my father

I if I had been forced to eat with my family, I would have slit my wrists a long time ago. There is a reason I moved out at 16, and why my grades took a sharp climb up when I did so, so, umm, the Time article can go screw itself.

Sometimes we do and sometims we don't. All of us like to do our own little things. For me that is going out with friends or listening to music while eating. Its not always best to have family meals.

communication is very important so sitting around the table gets your mind a little more active even if in politics someone is more one sided than others

You can eat as a Family now!:eek:

Me and my brother live in seperate different countries from our family. When we are together during the summer and winter holidays, we try and eat together as much as possible; no matter what happens, dinner as a family is always a must on the weekends. I think family dinners are very important to strengthen the family relationship bonds.