Do you let your kids eat in the livingroom?

Question

We have three kids. We try to keep the house pretty clean. When guests come and sit on the couch I would like them to feel comfortable sitting in a clean couch. I would hate for them to get up and see a brown stain on their nice clean white pants because one of the kids ate a brownie on the couch in the livingroom. We have a rule about eating at the table. Does anyone else?

Answer 1

Our kitchen overlooks the family room.  It's kind of one big room, so we eat meals at the table and snacks are ok in the family room, depending on the snack.  They have a small activity kid table in the family room, so if its like a popicle or mushy brownie, they can eat it at the kitchen table or their kid table.  If its goldfish crackers or fruit snacks the couch is ok. I have a vacumm and that's what it's used for.

Answer 2

Our carpet is pretty much trashed from having 2 dogs and my kids (right now 1 and 4).  Our sofa is leather and it wipes up pretty clean.  As a general rule, we all eat at the kitchen table with no tv on.  Once in a while we will all eat in the living room, but it is on a rare occasion - and never anything 'too messy' (sauces or dips or something like that).

People know I have kids, so I don't think they would think anything of it if there is a stain on the floor.

Answer 3

When the kids were younger, we had a rule about them eating at the table.  However, since they're all teens now, we've relaxed that rule.  We also have a carpet cleaner with a upholstery attachment in the closet.  LOL

To be honest, most days we still all gather at the table for a family dinner, but there are times when we parents are too busy, or our schedules too disjointed to make that work, and the kids are allowed to eat on the deck or in the living room.  They are NOT, however, permitted to eat in their rooms (or we might never see our daughter!).

Answer 4

We eat in the dining room for formal meals.. when we have people over.. but when the family is watching a movie.. we often eat in the living room.. i would just make sure that the kids sit on the floor perhaps .. so they dont get anything on the couch

Answer 5

I let my son eat in the living room but not anything messy. Drinks stay in the kitchen unless he's got a lid on his cup. Our couch is micro-fiber that's really easy to clean so I guess that helps.

Answer 6

We don't let the kids eat anywhere but at the table, except on special nights, even then they have to eat sitting at the coffee table! We tried the eating on the couch thing one time......and never again!

Answer 7

We do not eat in the living room period, no snacks no drinks and we do not talk on the phone at the dinner table ,I sometimes will have the tv on and everyone watches from the table

Answer 8

We don't have a dining room.  And, our kitchen table is usually covered with paperwork while the kitchen floor is usually covered with foster puppies.  

So, we eat in the living room pretty much all of the time.  Little kids are expected to throw a towel down on the floor & sit down there to eat.  Big kids, who've shown that they can eat neatly, can sit on the sofa.  And, everyone is expected to clean up after themselves right when they're done eating (or right away, if they spill).  

Answer 9

In my house the kids are not permitted to eat anything any where except at the table.

Answer 10

I have four children and make all them eat at the table. The only time they can eat in the living room, or any other room, is for snacks. If the snacks are messy, I have them clean it up. I want them to sit with everyone at dinner time because I think its important that we are able to spend some time together and really talk about our day.  

Answer 11

We eat meals in the kitchen, but snacks are fine in the living room.

But that's us.  We're pretty relaxed about stuff like that.

Answer 12

I let my son have snacks in the living room, unless it's something really messy. But we always have meals in the dining room.  

Answer 13

retired teacher....we tought the pre-schoolers to eat "family style"

learning to comunicate ....is the priorty...not sitting in front of the

t.v.

Answer 14

i don't have the choice in my house since it's quite small, not enough room for a dining table. but if i had the choice, it would be meals and messy food, like chocolate or drinks at the table at all times. snacks like crisps and dry sweets i would say they're ok since they're easy to clean up. despite having a smallish living space i still invested in a child size table and pair of chairs just to put the point across from a young age that ideally meals are to be eaten at the table.

you've got three kids, keeping them all in order at meal time and teaching them table manners is a good thing, go you!

Answer 15

We do eat snacks on our couch, in our living room and it stays clean. If we happen to spill something on it, it usually cleans off pretty easily.

Scotch-guard is a wonderful thing!

I have never allowed food in their bedrooms though.  

Answer 16

Once a month, we'll eat in the living room as a special treat. But other than that we eat at the dining room table.

Answer 17

Nope.  We're guilty of letting the kids eat in the living room.  It's a terrible habit and there are messes, but those are kids for ya.  We are getting ready to move and we'll be renting this time (we currently own).  At the new house, there will be a rule about only eating at the table or in other designated areas.  It's really a good rule to have!