I am a huge proponent of dinner at 6:00, which was my family norm. I've even let it slide to 6:30 (to allow for my 1 hr+ drive home), but my wife doesn't do that. As soon as she gets in from picking the kids up (she's 'out' of work at 3 pm (teacher), and picks the kids up about 5:00-5:30 so she can do her paperwork/etc.), she gives them snacks, then wonders why they don't want dinner at 6:30... (at least it's good snacks... grapes, bananas, apples).
I really wonder about today's kids, and what it'll be like for my grand-kids. One thing is for sure, I'm going to be the grand-pa that tells the "back in my day" stories...
I'm not a proponent of dinner at six - neither were my parents, since that was cocktail hour, and it's the same for me today. It does sound like snack time is too close to dinner at your house, though....
LOL. I am a parent telling the "back in my day" story to my adult kids. They have a hard time understanding because they have not experienced such a life. We both worked and Mom went to work only after kids were in school all day. We both drove together 1 hour each way meaning our day was a minimum of 10 hours. Dinner was home cooked every night and we all ate together. Kids had jobs to do after school and when they got to the upper grades in high school they worked part-time jobs.
We did not pay for college of any of them. We did however borrow the money. They paid/pay it back. Two were not college material and didn't last long. Two were. Of those two, one became a State trooper after 2 years of criminal justice classes and the other one graduated suma cum laude with 3 majors and 2 minors in teaching. She has not gone to work. She has 2 boys and lots of money to pay back on her loans. I am encouraging her to homeschool and enjoy her family. They are getting by at the present time on her husband's paycheck.
The two without college educations are doing well also. One works for Dept of Transportation and the other married a CPA. Regardless of their work or type of job--they were all raised to understand if you want to eat you have to work for it. None (including in-laws) are too proud that they would not dig a ditch if that was what fed them. All were married before they had children.
We did the best we could as most families do. The difference is values and priorities and everyone has a different definition and I believe that is based on the time they live in and what it takes to survive. Funny how they perceive the goings on in the world so differently. Privacy, freedom of speech, etc. They have adapted and conformed as taught by society. I never did conform and still don't. I have been referred to many many times as a rebel. Life moves on and the minority rule.