Table Talk

 

In the June 2010 issue of City Parent magazine I read a shocking statistic - twenty-nine percent of all parents surveyed feel that texting and cell phone talking is inappropriate at the table.  Twenty-nine percent! Does that mean - and I think it does - that the remaining seventy percent think it's okay? 

I don't want to get all political and judgy of those parents but I'm really curious as to who is allowing cell phones at the dinner table and, more importantly, why? Are kids home and eating alone so they are conversing with friends for company? Are parents using their phones at the table and the kids are just following their example?

My kids aren't quite ready for portable chatting devices (heck, they don't even like to use the regular land-line at this point) but if they were I can honestly say that phones wouldn't be allowed at the table.  I mean, if they were chatting/texting with their friends how would I know that my eight year old had a tough day because another boy gave his sweetie a kiss on the cheek.  Or better yet, how would I be able to explain the historical background of a certain four-letter expletive to my 10 year old.  And I know I certainly wouldn't be able to talk about friends, books, movies, weekend plans, school, work, our dog, sports, babies and where they come from, chickens, our new fire pit, skateboarding and vegetables ("why do we really need to eat them").  

Essentially there would be no table talk, which for me is the very best kind of talk around.

How about you? What do you think? Do you allow phones at the table?  Texting? What about parents?  Is it okay for them?  How about adults - if you go out for dinner with a girlfriend or on a date with your sweetheart are cell phones invited?

Comments

[Cheryl Arkison]

Great comments! We are so adamant about the dinner table that when, during the Olympics, we wanted to eat our pizza at the coffee table our 3 year old protested.

[Holly]

growing up we always had our meal as a family, no tv, no phone calls answered, only talking. when i met my husband and dined with them initially i would go sit at the dining table and everyone else went and plopped down in front of the tv. he said this is where they almost always ate dinner growing up. i loved sitting together as a family and fortunately my husband is more than willing to sit with me and chat while eating.

[Robin (Hippo Flambe)]

I cannot even imagine allowing cell phone use at the table, for anyone. We even have a no reading at the table and no toys to make sure it is a family meal, complete with conversation. All the times I imagined myself as a parent I never imagined having a no reading rule, no matter where the reading was.

-Robin