ABSTRACT
Gathering around the table to share a meal may, for some families, be a daily routine that follows ritual patterns and provides children with a context where they can learn the idiosyncratic norms and affective innerworkings of their family. For some (fragmented) families, however, mealtimes may not be an organized and entirely predictable event: Family constellations can defy our societal and cultural expectations. Yet, even if the cast of family members that sits at the table fluctuates in size and membership, the verbal and nonverbal interactions that take place during mealtimes remain embedded in the affective fabric unique to each family.
