A parent has been backed immensely online for insisting that their visiting niece and nephew, despite their protests, participate in nightly sit down dinners with the rest of the family.
The parent of four and original poster (OP), Reddit user Silly-Can5526, is hosting their 15-year-old niece and 13-year-old nephew while their parents are out of the country on business, according to their post on January 8.
Far From Fair
Evidently, these screen-engrossed teens feel that them being expected to adhere to the OP's family's dinner routine while they're over is far from fair.
"The kids are upset about it though and complained to their mom that I'm forcing, 'All these rules', on them and it makes them feel like they're in prison," the OP told Redditors.
The parent noted how eating meals together as a family was foundational for them growing up and now extends to their household.
"They definitely have free range at home and the parents aren't home nearly enough so they're used to sitting watching the YouTubes and Snapchats and all that while they eat," the OP continued.
"They hate having to sit, though my nephew is adjusting and has been sitting down before dinner to talk to me while I'm cooking (which I love)... My niece has the biggest issue with this and insists it's not a big deal when she's scrolling on her phone at dinner and gets very angry if I tell her to put it away."
Big Issue?
The OP added that they don't have many other explicit rules for their niece or nephew to follow during their stay, mostly just ordinary ones such as getting homework done before going off to have fun.
Sitting down for a phone-free dinner shouldn't be a big issue, in the parent's view.
But since these youths will be over for another month, this user decided to seek out other perspectives on their conflict—and was quickly met with overwhelming support from Redditors.
Various users have defended the OP—whose post has drawn 1,600 upvotes and more than 650 largely supportive comments—for enforcing their family dinner rule, which many of them stuck up for.
That includes one user who reassuringly replied: "She's just upset because she can't do what she wants, she'll get over it! Dinner time is some of the best bonding time!"
'Your house...'
A second user similarly took the OP's side and seemingly felt their niece and nephew were being disrespectful: "Not only should they respect you as someone caring for them, they should respect themselves by understanding and showing manners and civility."
A fellow user put it bluntly: "Your house, your rules," while another user agreed that, "'No screen time during dinner' isn't a radical rule by any stretch."
While the OP's niece and nephew have complained about sitting down for family dinners, doing so regularly is "hugely" beneficial, according to the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Specifically, The Family Dinner Project reports that, for kids, this practice is linked with better academic performance, higher self-esteem and a lower risk of depression, among other benefits.
The OP was championed the benefits in a reply in the thread.
"It's important to me for good communication between everyone, because it sparks conversations that won't happen sitting in front of the TV or just passing by," the parent wrote.
"I love that I know what's going on in their lives most of the time, whereas I know some other parents who can't tell you who their kids friends are, their interests, best subject in school, etc.
"And, of course, no judgment to those families."
Newsweek contacted Silly-Can5526 for comment via Reddit.
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