Problems sitting for meals

bnrdy4yrs · July 2011

I'm having a real hard time wiht daycare and also at home having my 2 year old sit for a meal. We've tried sitting him at his little table to mimick daycare to get him routined, we've tried sitting him at the table like a big boy with us (what we're doing now), and he climbs up out of his chair, turns around on his chair, stands up, etc. I dont mind him not finishing his meals, but i cant take his deliberate moving his plate out of the way and standing up in his chair or getting up to run in the middle of eating. Daycare has numerous other kids there and they end up putting him in a high chair more than not because he's the only one that wont sit still at the table. any suggestions??

LenMont · July 2011

We are having similar issues. First, we have a booster seat with a buckle that sits right on a regular chair. We put him in that---he can get in an out himself if he's not buckled in. At the first squirm, we remind him that we will buckle him if he doesn't sit still. Sometimes that works. Sometimes we have to follow through and buckle him in.

We've also starting planning something FUN for right after dinner and dangling it over his head like a carrot all through the meal. "We can go outside and ride bikes as long as you sit in your chair and eat" repeat, repeat, repeat. Only works if you're truly willing to follow through--which SUCKS if you really wanted to do the fun thing

bnrdy4yrs · July 2011

the buckle thing is good...he has them on his highchair (which we have just lowered and pulled up to the table) but realy tried to avoid strapping him in so that he learned how to sit...but we'll have to resort to them as a 'threat' - the after dinner treat we're definitley trying too and like you said sometimes is hit or miss...glad to know what we're trying isnt too far off the mark though...thanx for the feedback!

keg · July 2011

We still use the FP healthy care boosters with DDs (with the trays) and they insist we put their "seat belt" on when they sit down. No clue how they do at daycare, but I haven't heard of them having issues.

momtoRaegan041008 · July 2011

My daughter stopped sitting in a booster right around her 2nd birthday. Some days she will sit in her chair during dinner and others she is up and can't seem to sit still. I notice that when it is just us 2 for dinner she will sit just fine and eat. If my husband is home, she does what she wants and won't sit still. I get annoyed with it and have given up. At the sitter's house she puts her in a high chair still, which I cannot believe my daughter will sit in it.

mrsseguin · July 2011

We had very similar issues...we couldn't get DS to even get on a chair! Now I'm very firm with him. He is to sit at the table, I tell him to sit on his chair "on your knees or bum". This usually works to keep him from standing. If he gets up out of his seat he gets a warning that if he gets up again he's done dinner and his food will be thrown out. I've thrown out his food a few times (only twice) and now he's great at the table. Once we were consistent and he now knows the consequences, he does great. He sits, eats his meal and we hardly give him any warnings. It took about 1 week to change his behavior.

karakel · July 2011

I have the same problem with DS at home (he has no problems at daycare). I honestly gave up. It's more important to me that he eats, not that he sit at the table. I put his food on the table and sometimes he sits and eats the whole meal. Other times he'll take a few bites, get down and play and then go back. Other times he'll bring his food over to me on the couch and eat. It used to be such a fight when I would make him sit at the table or in the high chair and it was a bad experience for all of us. When he starts to get a little older and has better comprehension, I'll start having him eat at the table.

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