When I lived alone or was alone for a particular dinner, yes. Before kids we would sometimes watch a movie or a baseball game over dinner.
Now have two kids and no TV, but there we wouldn’t watch over dinner anyway, unless there was something very unusual on.
Of course.
Otherwise I’d have to move the furniture so it pointed somewhere else.
Yep, we do, and I have kids. We eat dinner with “Uncle Jon” and “Colbert guy” most often, or old Muppet Show DVDs or Good Eats episodes.
I took a guilt trip about this once or twice, but then when we’d clean off the dining room table and eat there, no one said 10 words in a row. We sat there vainly trying to make conversation. When we watch TV while we eat, we’re constantly talking. Much of it is the nature or the shows - we’ll pause and discuss at least a dozen times during the 20 minute program.
I know it goes against all parenting recommendations, but watching carefully selected television during dinner actually furthers our family bonding and communication. I chalk it up to the “do what works for your family” rule of parenting.
I’ll agree with WhyNot. The kid and I watch the news and discuss anything interesting, including our favourite game ‘How Does This Ad Lie?’
When we sit at the dining table with the TV off the conversation dies.
I agree with this. I don’t think the “TV or table” thing is the issue. When kids are involved, it’s dining together that counts.
No, but I bet if I had the cable and a TV that worked right I would!
When I was a kid we considered eating on TV trays in the family room the height of Friday night decadence, when table manners were out the window and we scarfed Chinese takeout while my dad taught us to grind feldspar on a whetstone and we watched “The Undersea World of Jaques Cousteau”.
I live alone now, and I generally eat all meals standing up at the kitchen counter.
But when I go home to visit, it’s still a big deal to eat on TV trays, baby. I miss grinding the rocks. I know it sounds weird but it was cool.
We eat 95% of our meals at the dining room table, though we do allow the kids to eat takeout or pizza while watching tv. Does give my husband and I a little bit of time alone.
At work, I eat every lunch at my desk – the break room is upstairs, and I have my own office, so I’d rather stay in and surf than go upstairs.
Same spot, same shows. Wanna hang out for dinner sometime? 
Thank god, it isn’t just us.
It’s just my husband, me, and a dog. Half the time I’m home and starving (like now) and he’s not. So if it’s not eating together in front of the TV (to Jeopardy! or the news) then it’s me fixing myself something and eating it in front of the computer with the radio on. Sad, I know.
He even bought us those tray things that fold up for our dining experience. It used to drive me crazy that my husband always ate in front of the TV, when we have a dining room table and a breakfast table… but he grew up in a family with a stay at home grandma, a mum that worked, and him, and everyone ended up eating at different times.
I would never, ever do this with guests, though. I find it extremely rude when you go visit someone and they never turn off the television. Not that we do a whole lot of visiting, but one family member in particular sits there and watches TV and no one can easily talk, even when we were visiting his wife recovering from surgery! Idiot.
Once in a while, I make us sit at the dining room table and talk to each other, but right now the husband is using it for his computer. Besides, if he wants to sit and gaze at me lovingly over a candle and a set table–take me out to dinner!
From time to time, I will. Usually in the morning when I make a bagel. I don’t want to dirty a plate. Also, if I have a sandwich or heat up some bread and don’t have a place for it.
As long as Savannah and spouse can come, too! How about Sunday night for the Colbert Christmas Special? I’ll crack open a box o’ wine and light some candles. There’s plenty of room up against the couches! Hope you don’t mind the company of an inquisitive/rude spoon-stealing budgie!
I have a dining room table and a breakfast room table. I don’t remember the last time I ate at either. Always in front of the TV.
Depends on what I’m eating. If it’s something handy, like pizza, sure I’ll eat in front of theTV.
But something like a steak with a salad and all the sides I’m at the table. It’s just more comfortable that way.
I don’t really have much choice as I don’t have a dining room table. So usually I eat off of the coffee table in front of the television, but sometimes I eat on the computer desk. If I had more room in my place I might buy a real table and eat at it. As of now, it would just feel too cramped.
I don’t “dine”. Not much cooking going on in my life. Usually get some take-out and nestle my tush back into my chair here at my computer. I swear, this internet thing is addicting!
I usually eat dinner in the grad student lounge at school nowadays. I don’t really have much of a life.
When I was living with my parents, we at at the table about 85% of the time. No TV allowed. We were only allowed to eat in the living room on Simpsons nights, or if the Giants were playing.
Our dining room table is only used when guests are invited for dinner. If it’s just us two, then we’re in front of the TV. I have been known to eat, surf and vaguely follow whatever’s on TV at the same time.
Mr. J has a very active job. Staff meals are provided so he gets his share of at the table, knife and fork meals, talking with tablemates. At home, he prefers one bowl and a fork meals in front of the tube. We don’t completely ignore each other while we do so; we’re always making cracks or laughing or NFWay-ing at the TV.
The laid back routine makes dinner parties all the more special, for me anyways.
This is great! I feel so much less like a loser…well not less, just less lonely!
Yeah, growing up and even when I would come home from college, it was unheard of to watch tv during dinner (unless it was a super-special-very-rare Friday night when we got to eat TV DINNERS on TV TRAYS…that was the best ever!) The TV was in a totally different room in the house. We kids never even thought to ask or wonder, just took it for granted that you all ate at the table together and talked. On those rare Friday nights, it just blew us away and seemed like a total party!
When we are having pizza, we’ll usually eat while wating a DVD. Otherwise we eat at the table when we are both home, or I eat at the table with a book if I’m alone. I think he eats in front of the computer when I’m not around.
I can probably count the amount of times on one hand that I have not sat in front of a tv whilst eating my dinner. Obviously eating out does not count. Dont feel so bad - if you’ve enjoyed it all this time who is it really hurting?