DS not sitting for dinner

mommymegan831

DS is just about 16 months.  We eat dinner together every night, me, DH, DD (3), and DS.  Lately DS doesn't want to sit and eat, it doesn't matter what we're eating, some nights he just doesn't seem interested.  I'd like him to sit, but that doesn't always work so I'll usually let him down.  The problem is then he wants me to play with him.  I went with him a few nights, but tonight I let him cry.  It was on and off for about 15 minutes. I let him sit on my lap if he wanted and he did on and off, but he also cried alot too.  I felt bad, but I need to sit and eat.  How do you handle your kids that don't want to sit for a meal?

MamaVantobe

DS never sits the entire meal.  We used to let him sit in our laps and eat off our plates, but we stopped when we thought that was encouraging the behavior.  We still let him out of his seat because that would not be a pleasant dinner if we had to listen to him whine/cry/scream the whole time.  Now he has to either play by himself or sit at the table.

meglette417

DS does the same thing, unfortunately I think it is the age and they are so active.  I would continue to put him down when you go just so he gets the idea the family is eating but if he wants down then put him down and unfortunately let him cry.  That is what we do although I admit I cave and will play with him.

mommymegan831

we eat by 5/5:30, so I don't think the time is the issue.  I do work on making sure he doesn't snack too soon before we eat.  Sometimes it doesn't matter, and sometimes it seems to help.  It's hard though when he pulls me to the frig to deny him food, and he's very happy with fruit, so it's not like he's eating a bunch of junk.

sunnyday016

DS does the same thing. We don't put him on our laps, because he grabs at our plates, tries to climb onto the table, wiggles too much, knocks stuff over, etc. He's a wild man. He can either play nicely in the living room while we eat, or we put him in his crib (lights on, load it up with toys). I feel bad doing that, but at that point of the day I just need/want to sit down & eat. I eat quickly and get him as soon as I can so he's not there more than 5-10 minutes.

blu-eyedwife

I think in general (and I'm not basing this on anything but stories I hear from moms) at this age, they don't do a lot of eating at dinner.  Meaning, it's usually not their main meal.  Our rule is, if he's not hungry, or eating, he goes down from the table.  (Eventually we'll probably make him stay till we're finished, but that's a little optimistic for a 23 month old)  Sometimes he wants us to play with him, but we point out that we're still eating dinner, even if he's done.  Sometimes he cries about that.  But that's one of those times I'm okay with letting him cry/be upset.  He gets over it and plays with his toys.