Strollerderby

My husband typically doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7 pm, so we've pushed the entire evening routine back.  I feed our 17 month old a snack at 4:30 or 5 pm, and then she sits in her high chair with toys while I make dinner.  We watch Wheel of Fortune, which is her favorite (and only!) show at 7 while I finish up dinner.  She doesn't really eat a whole meal at that time, but she nibbles and sits with us.  This gives her exposure to adult food, too, which I think is important

We have done this since she was old enough to sit in her high chair.  Then after dinner, she plays for a little bit while we clean up, and we start the bedtime routine at 8:30 pm.  She's usually asleep by 9:30, after a bath and many stories and songs with Daddy.

It helps that we don't have anything in the morning that we have to be up for, so we usually don't get up until 7:30 or 8.  That way we all get enough rest.

I work nights, my wife works part-time days, I'm not allowed to cook by mutual agreement, and the lads don't like anything but cereal.  We're lucky if we eat at all.

We didn't start family dinners until my daughter was between 2 and 2.5 and staying up a little later.  At 1, she went to bed at 7:00 and my husband didn't get home from work until 6:15.  I fed her dinner at 5:30 and then she got a few minutes of playtime with daddy before her bedtime routine.  Once she starting going to bed at 8 we started eating together most night but my husband and I would still have a late dinner at least once a week to be able to enjoy each others company.  Now that she isn't napping regularly she needs a very early bedtime again so we're back to playtime with daddy instead of family dinner.  I think quality time with both parents is what is most important whether it involves a meal or not.  Just having the chance to talk and to be together has to count for something.

The wife and I both work - we make this a huge priority to sit at the table for dinner with no T.V. Our daughter is getting use to the routine.

Jah and Jahma have done it every way:  none work, one work, both work, one in school, both in school.  Having the family together for dinner is a given.  Time together is what sustain us.  Food sustain us.  Food is to be enjoyed.  Being together is to be enjoyed.  Jah cook most because Jah like cooking.  Sure sometimes food taste like something dog pooped out.  Sometimes being together like a bad day for the demons in Hell.  Sometimes both happen simultaneously.  But, it still be us together as a family.  Kids on table in baby carrier as infants, in highchairs as toddlers, in real chairs.  Always eat with us, we eat with them.  Schedules change, but the meal shared together always remain.

Jah

KFC, baby. Dinner's back.

(not really.  but my point is that there are ways...)