We have the skids every second weekend. I am like you and absolutely HATE eating with them. They eat sooo gross that it takes all of my personal enjoyment away. Chewing with their mouths full, picking their nose and constant snot running from their noses, slopping sounds the entire time.... I to avoid them and eating with them like the plague. I choose to avoid eating with them the same way... working, not feeling well or plain ol' don't want to!!

As a family I'd say we eat together once every second visit. (Sometimes I just can't get out of it.)

We never eat together. SD eats by herself and earlier than we do.

Since SO is both lazy about shopping and cooking and also doesn't plan for it, we end up eating out a lot with skids. I sometimes don't bother going. I actually don't like mealtimes with them. its a time where 1. SD will compete with me for aseat next to dad 2. they have their stupid love fest were she tries to be charming and he will rub her back or they roughhouse some 3. skids start talking about how rough they have it with BM, or something else that lowers my IQ

Gave that up when I found out SD was texting at my dinner table. She always held family dinners over her moms head. Why can't you make dinner like SM. So quit

When the skids still lived with us, we had family dinners almost every night. I loved that; I think I was most recognized and loved for my cooking than anything else, that's why I enjoyed that so much. I brought that to our family, because I came from Europe and that is what we did every night. I think it helped bring us together.
If was unappreciated and disrespected , it would have been different.

I've started eating my main meal during lunchtime while the kids are all at school. Having 8 kids, it's stressful trying to eat with them all. I stick around for their meal, but mostly to make sure everyone has what they need and no messes are made.

DH and I sometimes have a special dinner together, once or twice a week, after the kids are in bed. But I am trying to cut the habit of eating late.

We all sit together cause that's what we do when they aren't here. They are picky and bicker about the baby not having to eat certain things they are expected to try but they take their plates to the kitchen after, there is very little drama, can't complain.

I have skids all the time! I look forward to going to work to eat lunch in peace. Even the best meal they can ruin. I feel bad saying it but its true. I am glad I am not the only person feeling this way.

When my 2 SSs are here on weekends, we eat as a family and things work out as well as possible with 3 boys. I'm fortunate that my SSs have relatively decent manners and don't have any nasty eating habits.

On the other hand, when SD15 (not the same BM as the boys) was living with us, "family" dinners were impossible. Everything was a battle with her and it seemed like every evening was another argument over her grades or attitude or being rude and disrespectful at the dinner table, ruining dinner for everyone.

To avoid us, she began hiding out in her room and wouldn't to come down for dinner, which was all for the better, but still a battle since she was continually not eating which eventually got to the point where her weight was a concern.

I've always thought family dinners were important, but when one person is causing all sorts of trouble, it ruins it for everyone.

Ahhh the family dinner! Such a bone of contention for me, I'm a foodie, I love the process of creating a meal/ ambience then bringing it to the table. CTBB didn't "believe" in family dinners as a teen, he would eat standing up and put whatever I made in flour tortillas roll it up and eat it w/ his hands. :jawdrop: Which was an improvement from watching him eat at the table and totally losing my appetite. :sick:

GET THE BIGGEST TABLE POSSIBLE....SO YOU DONT HAVE TO BE CLOSE TO THEM

Which I have a 10 seater....and its very wide....I needed it bc my kids used to fight all the time....now thats on the boat on the way over, and in the meantime, DH table is way too small.....

so

I feed the kids first....get them out the way then sit down with us....the skids get an attitude about them...like the older punk got a scowl on his face and said...'are you eating dad'.....so I turned around to DH and said....'sorry darl, did you wanna sit down with kids....I just didnt think there was enough room at the table and I had also set the table outside.....' back porch table had candles napkins etc awaiting us....

As you feed the kids, you can sin at the table with them if thats what has to happen? But when its time to dish up your meal....keep it romantic and go elsewhere...TURN THE USELESS TV OFF, PUT SOME OF YOUR MUSIC ON, TELL THE KIDS AND SKIDS THEY ARE NOT TO INTERUPT YOU AS YOUR EATING AND THEMS THE RULES....always was the rules back in my marriage to the ex wanker too.....once you leave the table, you dont come hovering around back to it....go play your ex box and if you behave....ill call you for dessert!

Yeap, im like you, diet all the time and only eat good food.....besides the skids are fat and ugly...makes me sick just looking at them....let alone eating and looking at them.....eeeeewwwww

We have SS14 every other week. We always eat dinner together, but usually at the kitchen counter. SS sits at one end and I sit at the other. He has terrible manners... holds his fork with his fist, doesn't use his knife, doesn't put his napkin in his lap or bother to use it until he's finished, turns on his barstool to watch the TV, puts his face to his plate, elbows on table and chin in hand, doesn't push in his chair when finished.

When there are more than the three of us, or it's a special dinner, we sit in the dining room (usually once a week). He always tries to take my seat next to his father, even if I set my drink there before we sit to gently remind him. Same table manners (or lack thereof) that he uses at the counter.

It's pretty difficult for me to keep quiet while having dinner with him, but I think it's important since he doesn't get to eat dinner with BM. She avoids her own home like the plague, and they live on hot pockets or drive-through that she'll bring home if anyone's still awake to eat it.

Whenever we see SD20, we always make a point of having a nice dinner with her. I think DH likes to show off that he can cook and BM can't, and so SD's best dinners are with us. In the last 5 years I've turned into the real cook, even better than DH, so I make the special meals. The best part about it is that cooking keeps me busy in the kitchen so I don't have to pay attention to her.

However...SD20 doesn't have the best manners. Nothing horrible like I've seen written, but not up to par with my upbringing. She doesn't seem to care for any vegetables at all, and DH doesn't care. She is very picky about her food, although if she likes it, she eats a lot. She also constantly has her phone in front her.