A lot of people claim that it's impossible to get the family together around the table. Too many activities, etc., seems to be the most common excuse.
For me, it sounds like it just isn't a priority for those families. It's not so hard, really. It just has to be a rule in the household. If that rule is established early, when children are small, then it's easy enough to maintain it later.
What seems to happen is that kids get to be teenagers and always want to be doing something else. Too bad for them, my father would have said. At dinner time, they should be sitting at the table, he would have continued.
Parents seem not to be able to say "No" to their offspring any longer. Yes, the parents are tired after coming home from work. Both of my parents worked, too, and I'm sure they were tired. But, for them, raising a family was the prime goal, and they took that goal seriously.
Sure, when I was 16, I would have much preferred taking my girlfriend somewhere for a hamburger than to sit at the family table, but that was simply not happening.
Even more than that, simple stuff like my sister and I always doing the dishes helped make my relationship with her a close one. Even my little brother, who was a real PITA, since he was 5 years younger than I, formed a good relationship with me, partly at the dinner table and partly doing chores with me.
Kids don't need to be busy round the clock. There's always time to sit down for an hour with the family...IF the family makes it a priority.
It's a pity that has lost its appeal to a lot of parents, who then make lame excuses about it. If it's a priority, you make it work.
**Even more than that, simple stuff like my sister and I always doing the dishes helped make my relationship with her a close one. Even my little brother, who was a real PITA, since he was 5 years younger than I, formed a good relationship with me, partly at the dinner table and partly doing chores with me. **
Another reason to eat together -- then work together. And many families get the third priority in there too -- pray together.