At my supper table there has been no music, no tv playing and no electronic devices aloud. Discussions on any topic were permitted, much to the shagrin of my father in law. Silly topics abounded and everyone in the house was required to attend. You did not have to eat but you did have to sit at the table no matter how grumpy or sad or angry to were. As a result of this having started when the kids were very young, we have had a free flow of information. People often would ask how it is that I managed to get my teens and often their teens to talk to me all the time. I used to say you have to start young and send a whole lot of time listening! The supper table was a great place for that.