We used to dinner around 5:15, but now have pushed it to 6. I don't think eating as a family helps the mealtime issues you have mentioned. We still have them even with us all sitting down! However, we really value that time to sit down and eat together. Although, truly sometimes we wonder why since I spend 80% of the meal getting up and down to refill plates, get drinks, etc. and barely eat dinner. Our BBB are 2 years, 3 months, and we also have an almost 7 and an almost 4 year old DDs. We really need that time to connect as a family. However, if you guys are at least all sitting together, whether or not you are physically eating is really irrelevant. I think the point is just to try to connect during that time, rather than trying to do laundry, pack lunches, etc. Do you know what I mean? On the nights I don't eat, I find myself trying to get 100 other things done rather than sit down at the table with the kids.

If you have a schedule that works, stick with it! The reason we pushed dinner back was that my guys were not hungry for that 5:15 dinner anymore (they have a snack around 3:30/4 depending on when they get up from nap). Do you do an afternoon snack on the non-preschool days? I can tell you there is little down time with a 6 pm dinner. We finish that, play for 15 minutes, and then pretty much go into bedtime routine (bedtime is no later than 7:45, lights out). But, we do get that time from 5-5:30 to play and usually my husband comes home around 5:30 and takes over while I make dinner.

HTH!!
Erica
BBB 2/14/10
DD, 6
DD, 3