Sad Sight At Dinner Tonight

[sharlan]

We took the two granddaughters out to dinner tonight.

Young couple with 2 kids sat next to us. Boy was about 5, girl about 7. The boy sat with his back to his dad and played with his video game thingy (DS?). Every so often, the dad would reach over and stick a bite of mac & cheese into his mouth, same with the soda. The kid never took a single bite of food or drink by himself, never said a word to anyone. The girl laid down on the bench seat, playing with her game. The mom would stick a bite of food or drink into her mouth every so often. The mom did speak to the girl a few times, but she never sat up or took a bite of food on her own. Every so often, the parents would pull out their cell phones and check their e-mails (I could see Dad's).

Another family comes in with 3 young teen girls, father immediately sets up his iPad on the table and starts playing his game. If anyone talked to him, he'd shake his head or grunt. The girls talked back and forth, but spent a lot of time texting on their phones.

Similar sights at other tables.

What in the world ever happened to FAMILY dinner time?

[nannyde]

Yup

Distracted kids with distracted parents.

It's very sad.

[GG~DAYCARE]

Family dinner starts at home!!! If its not done at home no one knows how to react when out to dinner!!

[sharlan]

I may not have been the perfect parent, but there was nothing at the table besides us. I don't allow any toys at the table. My eldest granddaughter knows better than to bring any type of electronic into a restaurant. I even leave my cell out in the car.

[Crazy8]

That is ridiculous!! I guess you could say we are a techie family - we have ds's, ipod touches, iphones, cell phones, kindles, laptops, etc. (and I want an ipad for xmas, LOL) but we would NEVER allow them at the dinner table or anywhere where interaction with other people should be a priority. I know some people are against them entirely, I am not one of those people but yeah, what you saw tonight is just ridiculous.

And my kids have recited the "no toys at the table" rule long before those toys were of the electronic kind. LOL! If my little one comes to the table with a little figure in hand my other two are sooo quick to say "no toys at the table".

[sharlan]

My 15 yo granddaughter has all that electronic stuff, too - lap top, mini notebook, iPad, droid cell phone, DS, PSP, gameboy, iPod, etc. BUT she knows better than to bring any of it into a restaurant or the dinner table. She knows it will find it's way into Grandma's safe.

I am not tech savy, don't have any of that, cell phone only, but I'm not against them. There is a time and place for everything and the FAMILY dinner table is not it.

[Kaddidle Care]

We took the two granddaughters out to dinner tonight.

Young couple with 2 kids sat next to us. Boy was about 5, girl about 7. The boy sat with his back to his dad and played with his video game thingy (DS?). Every so often, the dad would reach over and stick a bite of mac & cheese into his mouth, same with the soda. The kid never took a single bite of food or drink by himself, never said a word to anyone. The girl laid down on the bench seat, playing with her game. The mom would stick a bite of food or drink into her mouth every so often. The mom did speak to the girl a few times, but she never sat up or took a bite of food on her own. Every so often, the parents would pull out their cell phones and check their e-mails (I could see Dad's).

Another family comes in with 3 young teen girls, father immediately sets up his iPad on the table and starts playing his game. If anyone talked to him, he'd shake his head or grunt. The girls talked back and forth, but spent a lot of time texting on their phones.

Similar sights at other tables.

What in the world ever happened to FAMILY dinner time?

Well.. at least nobody was disturbing your dinner. I halfway expected this to be a post about dinner out and the children misbehaving running about the restaurant, etc.

I'd rather have this going on around me rather than hearing a bunch of screamers at dinner.

That said I've seen groups of teen girls at the mall, walking together yet none are talking to each other. They are all on their phones texting. Crazy world.

[melskids]

i just met up with two guy friends from high school. i have not seen them in 15 years, so i was excited to meet up with them one night at the local diner in the town where we all used to live.

neither one of them took their eyes off of their dang iphones the whole time. i did all the talking and they did all the grunting in response. i know guys dont like to talk, but geesh. i would have thought after 15 years, they'd have something to say to me.

my sister and BIL do it to. whenever they come home to visit, their faces are shoved in their laptops the entire time. drives me crazy!

[safechner]

I admit that I do focus on my cell phone for doing text or play the games all day at my husband's parents' house for Thanksgiving or Christmas. It was so boring and I don't talk anyone very much. If my girls want to talk to me and I listen and talk to them but not my in laws. I stopped talk to my husband's parents anymore because the way they act forward to my daughter who has PDD-NOS on Autism Spectrum. My husband only want to see his grandmother which is fine with me. I know it is sad but oh well...

[iheartkids]

I will be the first on here to admit we slack in the family meal time. I am guilty of letting my family take their plates into the livingroom to eat. We are also guilty of eatting in front of the computer.

As far as eatting out, we would let DD take her DS to keep her occupied while we waited for our food but once the food came it went into my purse. Now that she is 10 she barely ever takes it and she likes to play the games and such on those little coloring sheets. Often she is crabby about having to go to a restaurant and sit and eat because she is a play outside kind of girl. She hates having to leave her neighbor friends and SIT for dinner. Whenever she complains and whines about going out to eat I tell her "this is the ONLY time I can get us all sitting face to face during dinner...so don't ruin it for me!"

Like I said, I will raise the guilty hand but I am very proud to say my kids are not video game junkies!

[MyAngels]

That said I've seen groups of teen girls at the mall, walking together yet none are talking to each other. They are all on their phones texting. Crazy world.

Probably texting each other ::.

[Kaddidle Care]

You're probably right there!

[Michael]

i just met up with two guy friends from high school. i have not seen them in 15 years, so i was excited to meet up with them one night at the local diner in the town where we all used to live.

neither one of them took their eyes off of their dang iphones the whole time. i did all the talking and they did all the grunting in response. i know guys dont like to talk, but geesh. i would have thought after 15 years, they'd have something to say to me.

my sister and BIL do it to. whenever they come home to visit, their faces are shoved in their laptops the entire time. drives me crazy!

I like my smart phone but I can't believe your make friends did not have more to talk about after 15 years. Are they married to their phones?

[dEHmom]

I think the ds's for the kids were too keep them quiet.

My 2 oldest 5 and 7 yrs have ds's and the purpose of them is that they are portable. however, i do not EVER allow them to leave the house. The kids are timed with them, and they do not leave the living room. They are not allowed to play games when company is here, or if it's not approved by me or my dh first.

Honestly, my kids never play the ds for more than 5 mins even though I allow 15-20 mins.

It is sad. My kids have eaten out at restaurants many many times with us, and I have to say that 100% of the time, at least 1 person, usually an elderly person, will walk out of their way to tap me on the shoulder and say they are such well behaved and beautiful children. i know that was a total brag, but how can I not share that???

[melskids]

I like my smart phone but I can't believe your make friends did not have more to talk about after 15 years. Are they married to their phones?

well, both of them are still single...so what's that tell ya?!

.....and they kept checking the score of some stupid game. Figures. LOL