There was a great article in the Home and Garden section of my local Sunday paper yesterday. In it, the author talked about eating in front of the television vs. eating at the kitchen table. The article got me thinking about my own family and the habits we're forming.
It is a hard and fast rule in our house that no television is on during our meal hours. This rule applies to breakfast, lunch and dinner. In my opinion, meal time is meant for un-plugging from all of the electronic devices that surround us on a daily basis. It's a time that we can talk and catch-up with one another on the day's activities. Even before CPA and I had children, we never ate our meals in front of the television. It's something that wasn't allowed in either of our homes growing up. And I think we just carried that over into our own lives because we saw the benefit of it.
But, I'm curious. What is your opinion on this topic? Did you grow up in a house where eating in front of the television was the norm and now you've changed that? Or do you frequently eat in front of the television to unwind? Does being single vs. having a family make a difference with this habit? Do tell!
~Jodi
{photo credit - West Elm}
4 comments:
I grew up in a family that always had the tv on a mealtime. The kids sat at the bar counter and the grownups had those old foling tv trays with the formica wood panel on top. :)
While we certainly enjoyed many a dinner at the coffee table when we were DINKS (Dual Income, No Kids), once we started having children, things changed. TV is OFF during mealtime, and we always sit at the table. We talk about the best part of our days and reconnect. It is a non-negotiable Family Time (for now at least, while the children are still young), and we absolutely treasure it.
I have grown up in a home where the television was not on at meals. We also ate dinner together as a family almost everynight, not in shifts, like many families. I am so thankful it was that way. Meal times are such an important time for family members to connect each other. Even being single I usually don't watch tv when I'm eating. I give you credit for keeping meal time, family time.
We didn't really eat together a lot because everyone was on different schedules with work, sports, school, etc. But when we did eat together, I always preferred the TV on... that way my older brothers would be too distracted to pester me!
Great post! We grew up in front of the tv and DID NOT continue that tradition with our kids.
We always have dinner at the table -- no electronic anything, except for the classical music that we have playing in the background. It's a chance for us to focus on each other and talk about our highs and lows of the day. The days fly by so quickly that this is sometimes the only downtime we have.
Post a Comment