We always have a light lunch and the kids have their main meals for tea...I like the family thing too,and i would miss it if we didnt all sit down to tea together...
For us it is just the kids and i when DP is on afternoon shift,but for the other 2 out of 3 weeks we sit down at about 6pm for tea...
I agree with what you do anyway,and i wouldnt want to change it to the other way around...