Respect! For the home they are in, for the host, for the opinions of others. And then, when they have everyone over to their home, they can expect the same respect. I look at it as though I’m visiting a foreign nation; how would I act in a Kuwaiti’s home? Respectful.

Same as I handle the national anthem and pledge of allegiance. I stand or sit silently and make no gestures of any sort. I show neither respect nor disrespect, but indifference

Psychopathological
Rubbish
Aiding
Your
Evading
Reality  

This has always bothered me. People just assume that everyone thinks the way they do. Not once has anyone ever asked me if I wanted to join in their prayers. However, if I had guests over for a meal, you can bet someone would initiate prayer. I think religious people think it's their duty to do this and it somehow makes them superior.

I too have to explain to my kids why some of their friends perform this ritual, and that is how they see it. Like someone speaking to their partner in a foreign language, you wait politely until it is all over. I do not bow my head as this to me indicates compliance.
The one time I actually had a confrontation was when a friend, who knows my leanings, started to pray, in my kitchen over a meal I made. Right or wrong, I asked her to stop, she was in a house of unbelievers, and the person to be thanked was me, not her invisible friend. She demurred and thanked me......with a blessing. Sheesh !!!

I have no problem bowing my head when others do. I'm not there to impose my beliefs on others. I'm there to be with them as a social companion, so doing what works in that situation is my goal. I don't want my athiesm to interfere with my relations with others.

I much prefer your alternative - giving thanks to the actual, as opposed to mythical, provider(s) of the meal.
I was lucky, in that at boarding school we were a pretty irreverent bunch of wild colonial boys and whilst the housemaster or head prefect was saying grace in the dining hall, we would quietly chant things like "For what we are about to receive may the cook be severely punished."

I think that, in my entire life, I was subjected to saying grace once at a dinner at my friend's place when I was a kid. It was one of the oddest experience I ever had.

To answer your question, I don't handle prayers or grace at my table. I cook, and I take pride in that. It's how I give back to the world. So, I say, good for you for not putting up for that hokem any longer.

I do like your reference to the Simpson grace. I once heard it with an addition. What you stated plus "yea god" At the time I did not take the saying as religious, just funny and disrespectful.

I bow my head respectfully during grace. I taught my sons to do this as well. I like to pick my battles and my bowing my head to be respectful of the people around me is not worth an argument to me.

I have a LOT of personal experience related to this issue (big family, lots of prayer before eating, etc.). For years I simpy say nothing (not even "amen" ), nor do I bow my head. I'm fine with holding hands with the friends or family involved. That's it. No problem. (primarily because they all have their eyes closed.). Relax and let them do their thing. You ARE making to much of this. Thhank the preparer of the meal on your own . . . Suzie

I just sit silently and let them do it. It's not about standing up for YOUR beliefs it's about respecting theirs. If they aren't forcing you to participate then you shouldn't demand they not pray.

Since they have their heads down and can't see what I'm doing, l keep my head up.

My ex's family prayed on holiday meals. I would bow my head and stay silent.

I simply sit in silence without bowing my head. I taught my children that we should respect other people's rights to hold their beliefs, but we don't have to respect the beliefs themselves. Let the children decide whether to bow their heads or not.

Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error

For family I will go so far as holding hands, but don’t bow head or say amen at the end. Holding hands with a family member is not traumatic, and the moment (hopefully, some do go on) spent while they mumble some innate nonsense is little price to pay for family harmony. And if someone wants to call me out for not bowing my head, ask them what they were doing looking around! ?

For the most part family doesn‘t invite me to meals where prayer is included. it helps that different siblings and others have strayed to other sects and the differences between them are to them more important than their differences with a nonbeliever like me.

I don't think it's wrong to bow your head during such a thing..But you don't necessarily have to pray..Ill recite Shakespeare or sing.

My family asked me to say the prayer at our thanksgiving family dinner. I said "rub a dub, dub thanks for the grub". That was the last time they asked me to pray.
I told my children that my family likes to pray and we should hold still and be quiet while they pray. It is their belief not mine, but out of respect we should do this.

Mate, don't take it literally. The prayer is just a ceremony and it's good. Maybe in a way it acknowledges that 95% of the world doesn't have that roast turkey that you were delighting in eating. It's like saying thanks that I'm privileged and it washes all guilt away.
Don't worry about the symbolic prayer. It's cathartic. Look at it that way.

I hold hands with them to be respectful and I sit quietly while they do their prayers I don't close my eyes. I don't bow my head. I just sit there or stand there and let them do their thing.

We are being respectful and tolerant of others, that is what humanists do. Use the time for silent reflection and appreciation of family, food, love and laughter. We give thanks and praise where it is warranted: On good decent folks.

I don't clasp my hands nor bow my head. But I do give thanks for the lives that have been taken for humanities continued survival. To some god? No -- to the animals, vegetables, and fungus that we consume. Being respectful and waiting until they finish doing whatever is simply being polite. If whomever prays out lound, I do not close my eyes. But if its a moment of silence, then I will.

I never had prayers at home because I was born into an Atheist family....but when I go to a person's home I don't participate in saying grace or prayers...and if they ask me to leave I do.
Conversely, if a person insists in praying / saying grace in my home...or evangelizing the other friends I ask that person to leave...if he/she doesn't I call the cops and have him/her removed.