Are the dinner conversations at your table more likely to be boring or exciting?

My extended family has amazing after dinner conversations. We’ll eat the meal and then sit there for hours and just talk about any subject you can think of. We spend hours with each other with no TV, no computer etc. Friends that are invited for what ever reason always marvel at it, but they love to join in. The art of conversation is still alive in our houses. Any good conversation isn’t boring, but we don’t go into too radical areas either.

Nonexistent, I grew up in a house that mealtime is for eating. Conversation is for after the evening meal and before the nightly news. Besides if you stopped to talk the other kids would get all the food.

They’re usually pretty interesting.

I have held to the custom of family dinnertime that was practiced in my family of origin at a time when gathering for the evening meal was a social norm. I think it’s a pity that so few families do it today. I don’t care how convenient microwave is and how busy people are, sitting down together once a day sustains an important connection.

And conversation goes with the package. Topics range widely, and expressed thoughts and opinions sometimes take us on wild tangents, often humorous and occasionally deep. The talk I heard around the dinnertable growing up, from my family of educators and avid readers, was amazing; but at the time I thought everybody had discussions like that over a meal.

Some topics are discouraged, however, if not forbidden. Those include butchery in all its forms, poop and other unappetizing physical phenomena, including blood and grease, and anything that’s going to cause me queasiness while I’m trying to eat. I don’t want to hear about anybody’s dentist appointment, either, and probably not their doctor’s visit. Tell me later, okay?

Sometimes the men in my family make it a point to include every dubious, outlawed, and borderline subject they can think of in a single mealtime conversation, just to tease me. You’d think they’d be too proud to target such an easy mark as I am, but no.

I love this question. As I haven gotten older, I realize how important sitting at a dinner table is. In my family this didn’t really happen. As we had issues (alcoholism).

When I got older and for a time had a regular family. We did sit down and eat dinner as a family. Now I am single I eat here at the computer. But there is something so nourishing about eating together, talking together and clearing away afterwards. Life goes on, and things are about to change :). I loved @Jeruba way of explaining how things were for her. Plus I want to come and eat dinner with @Adirondackwannabe extended family sometime :)

These days it’s just me yelling at historians or historical figures… I miss eating with friends. In college, I used to cook for my friends almost every weekend.

I found it stressful to eat at table with my parents growing up. I had good reasons to be scared and wary of them. It was a much better time after I went to college, and when I came back, we would just watch movies or TV and hang out and talk after dinner.

When my kids, my wife and I sit down to eat, dinner conversation is fascinating, funny, intense, and often includes singing. These are my favorite moments.

@Shippy You’re invited. I think it goes back to my grandfather. He’d invite anyone to stay for dinner. And we always sat on his porch after the days work was done and we would just talk. I had a great upbringing.

They’re pretty lively.

It always starts out with answers to the question, “So…How was your day?” And bops all around from there. There’s venting and problem solving and silliness. We goof on the dog, tease each other, offer support, and tell stories.

This usually happens while dinner is being prepared, homework is being done, and dishwasher is being emptied.

I’ve been known to sing or do voices.

Finally, we all settle down to eat and (often) watch TV – where we’ll comment on the show or make fun of the silly plots.

Post dinner cleanup involves reading and folks falling asleep on couches.

Dinner at my table is pretty quiet. My cat doesn’t say much.

@Pachyderm_In_The_Room It’s just you and the cat?

Yes, @Adirondackwannabe, just the two of us. I’ve lived with fraulines but these days I prefer a feline. At this stage in my life it’s the purrfect relationship.

@Pachyderm_In_The_Room I’m glad you’re satisfied.

I live alone. The conversations in my head are always rather entertaining.

I have a big birthday party with a meal coming up this weekend. I’ll observe a bit and give you another answer Monday. I’ve never tried observing the conversation. I’m always in the middle of it.