When the atmosphere is negative, as it often is, the children dread dinners. The parents, for their part, see meals as a family duty but approach them too rigidly and season them with too much instruction and too many demands. In their hearts, they don't enjoy family meals, either. These families are not atypical. A 1995 national survey found that less than a third of American families eat dinner together most nights, down substantially from the 1970s.
Most adults say they had more family dinners during their childhood than they do now.
When they do sit down to dinner together, over half of American families say they have the tv on. Conflicting schedules are by far the number one reason given, followed by being rushed, work, and school activities. When families do eat together, arguments are common. Researchers who have observed family dinners note the frequency of conflict, especially with children, over eating and table manners. When most of us start a family, we fantasize that dinnertime will bring us bonding and warm conversation.