Comments on: How to Get Your Teens to the Dinner Table http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/ Single Parent Dating, Raising Children, Parenting Teens Sun, 21 Mar 2010 08:20:38 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: frustrated but patient http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-22150 frustrated but patient Tue, 26 Jan 2010 07:04:17 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-22150 I came into this teens life when he was 12 and his dad was divorced for several years. At least he talked to me back then and ate my meals. He's 17 now and sits at the table for hours picking...not even really eating. Then he leaves te food after drinking several galsse sof liquid, gets up and goes in his room. Dad says nothing! Divorce guilt. Everytime I ask him to clear the table, Dad cleans it for him! Can you say SPOILED ROTTEN? Last week Dad said we shouldn't cook for him anymore if he can't eat it but of course Dad's eating his words and still waiting on him hand and foot, enabling him to be lazy! its really hard for me to deal with. I came into this teens life when he was 12 and his dad was divorced for several years. At least he talked to me back then and ate my meals. He’s 17 now and sits at the table for hours picking…not even really eating. Then he leaves te food after drinking several galsse sof liquid, gets up and goes in his room. Dad says nothing! Divorce guilt. Everytime I ask him to clear the table, Dad cleans it for him! Can you say SPOILED ROTTEN? Last week Dad said we shouldn’t cook for him anymore if he can’t eat it but of course Dad’s eating his words and still waiting on him hand and foot, enabling him to be lazy! its really hard for me to deal with.

]]> By: Unknown Mami http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-20034 Unknown Mami Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:43:04 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-20034 Great job on the post. I'm looking forward to many wonderful conversations shared over dinner. .-= Unknown Mami´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.unknownmami.com/2009/11/i-comment-therefore-i-am.html" rel="nofollow">I Comment Therefore I Am</a> =-. Great job on the post.

I’m looking forward to many wonderful conversations shared over dinner.
Unknown Mami´s last blog ..I Comment Therefore I Am My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Rob http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-20031 Rob Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:55:23 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-20031 I have 3 kids but only one teenage daughter who is 13 and I agree she is more into the conversation then the food. She like to talk about her day at school and what went on. Not saying she doesn;t enjoy pizza night but she loves the dinner table conversation. .-= Rob´s last blog ..<a href="http://www.lookwhatmomfound.com/2009/11/monday-mingle-november-16th.html" rel="nofollow">Monday Mingle November 16th</a> =-. I have 3 kids but only one teenage daughter who is 13 and I agree she is more into the conversation then the food. She like to talk about her day at school and what went on. Not saying she doesn;t enjoy pizza night but she loves the dinner table conversation.
Rob´s last blog ..Monday Mingle November 16th My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: thewildmind http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-20030 thewildmind Tue, 17 Nov 2009 03:46:34 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-20030 Well, if gourmet is the deal I'm doomed. In fact, if regular cooking is the deal then I'm doomed. I can screw up any meal and most of the time my kids tell me my food is disastrous...and they are usually right. :) I have four children. We ALWAYS have sit down dinners at the dinner table. I'm not kidding. My kids are involved in tons of extra curricular, work, community activities. I have three teenagers. We rarely miss a meal at the family table. I've found the key is start when they are young and plan carefully. Stephen Covey, in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, mentions this, "Begin with the end in mind". I started this when my kids were conceived, and have continued it ever since. Dinner time is one of the few times we all are together in one place and can connect. It is a non-negotiable. I also set up other boundaries around this that reinforce it (no eating in the living room or bedrooms and who cares if you're not hungry you're going to join us anyway). As a single mom, I've taught the kids that if we are to survive this deal we all have to pull together because I can't do it all. They've rallied and come on board with it. Dinners, as badly as I cook, (and I'm up for a reality TV show "How To Screw Up A Really Good Meal) is never an issue with us even during baseball season, the holidays or football or end of the year stuff. It isn't easy, but if one plans early and stays consistent the family meal can happen even during the hectic teen years. .-= thewildmind´s last blog ..<a href="http://thewildmind.wordpress.com/2009/11/14/oz-and-the-wild-mind-dissolve-in-the-wicked-witchs-broiling-cauldron-of-relational-malaise/" rel="nofollow">Oz and The Wild Mind Dissolve in The Wicked Witch’s Broiling Cauldron of Relational Malaise</a> =-. Well, if gourmet is the deal I’m doomed. In fact, if regular cooking is the deal then I’m doomed. I can screw up any meal and most of the time my kids tell me my food is disastrous…and they are usually right. :)

I have four children. We ALWAYS have sit down dinners at the dinner table. I’m not kidding. My kids are involved in tons of extra curricular, work, community activities. I have three teenagers. We rarely miss a meal at the family table. I’ve found the key is start when they are young and plan carefully. Stephen Covey, in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, mentions this, “Begin with the end in mind”. I started this when my kids were conceived, and have continued it ever since. Dinner time is one of the few times we all are together in one place and can connect. It is a non-negotiable. I also set up other boundaries around this that reinforce it (no eating in the living room or bedrooms and who cares if you’re not hungry you’re going to join us anyway). As a single mom, I’ve taught the kids that if we are to survive this deal we all have to pull together because I can’t do it all. They’ve rallied and come on board with it.

Dinners, as badly as I cook, (and I’m up for a reality TV show “How To Screw Up A Really Good Meal) is never an issue with us even during baseball season, the holidays or football or end of the year stuff.

It isn’t easy, but if one plans early and stays consistent the family meal can happen even during the hectic teen years.
thewildmind´s last blog ..Oz and The Wild Mind Dissolve in The Wicked Witch’s Broiling Cauldron of Relational Malaise My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: notasoccermom http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-19989 notasoccermom Sat, 14 Nov 2009 18:43:42 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-19989 We have busy schedules too.. it is a rare thing to eat at the same time as each other. But we love to cook together. Not only can we try a new recipe, gourmet or not, but they also learn to cook for themselves. Conversation is fun and light-hearted while cooking..hard to talk with a mouthful of food .-= notasoccermom´s last blog ..<a href="http://asmymotherbeforeme.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-little-star.html" rel="nofollow">My little star</a> =-. We have busy schedules too.. it is a rare thing to eat at the same time as each other. But we love to cook together. Not only can we try a new recipe, gourmet or not, but they also learn to cook for themselves.
Conversation is fun and light-hearted while cooking..hard to talk with a mouthful of food
notasoccermom´s last blog ..My little star My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Heather http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-19985 Heather Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:07:20 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-19985 when I was a teenager, and even into my early 20's my family was the only family basically in town that we all sat at teh dinner table and ate dinner and coversed about our days! I miss it! when I was a teenager, and even into my early 20’s my family was the only family basically in town that we all sat at teh dinner table and ate dinner and coversed about our days! I miss it!

]]> By: CheeryWise http://dadshouseblog.com/2009/11/13/how-to-get-your-teens-to-the-dinner-table/comment-page-1/#comment-19976 CheeryWise Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:52:50 +0000 http://dadshouseblog.com/?p=8561#comment-19976 I totally agree. We save fancy meals for Sundays and holidays. During the week, its all about the 1:1 time. The conversation is the most important menu item on the dinner table. It's a precious few minutes when we can connect with no distractions. With teens, its hard to find time to stop the whirlwind of daily life. How convenient that they get hungry and need to eat! David, good for you for continuing that family routine, even if June Cleaver is *not* at the table :) Sad to think about, but I wonder if the kids who have been contemplating ending it all by laying down on the train tracks this past year had regular dinner time together with their parents... I totally agree. We save fancy meals for Sundays and holidays. During the week, its all about the 1:1 time. The conversation is the most important menu item on the dinner table. It’s a precious few minutes when we can connect with no distractions.

With teens, its hard to find time to stop the whirlwind of daily life. How convenient that they get hungry and need to eat! David, good for you for continuing that family routine, even if June Cleaver is *not* at the table :)

Sad to think about, but I wonder if the kids who have been contemplating ending it all by laying down on the train tracks this past year had regular dinner time together with their parents…

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