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dinner time drama

smileybabyboysmileybabyboy member
in Toddlers: 24 Months+
DS is 2 and lately he refuses to sit with us for dinner.  He has a high chair he can climb in and out of and if we get him in his chair he climbs right out and goes off to play while DH and I sit and eat.  I don't care that he isn't eating, but I would like us all to sit at the dinner table as a family.  I don't think it's appropriate that he is running around the house when it's dinner time.  What do other people do?  Any suggestions?  I thought maybe we should start strapping him to his chair but then DH and I will have to eat dinner while we listen to him scream and cry. 
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Re: dinner time drama

  • ashiscuteashiscute member
    I think a booster seat at the table would be a good choice.  Both of my kids were super excited when we made that transition.  Even though the highchair was right next to the table the booster made it the real deal.  

    DS is 2 and we still strap him in.  If he's had a couple bites and sat there a few minutes and made an effort and asks to get down we let him down.  
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  • traveltheworldtraveltheworld member
    DS sits in a booster at the table. We let him down if he is done eating. But once he is down, he gets no more food for the night other than some fruit. There were a few nights where he threw a fit because he was hungry, but we stood our ground. He learned quickly that if he wanted to eat, he'd have to sit down and eat at the same time we do.
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  • smileybabyboysmileybabyboy member
    We have a Tripp Trapp chair  pushed up to the table so he isn't using a tray.  He never asks for food after dinner is over and we never give him anything.  I have started strapping him in and of course he has been sitting and eating all the meals the last few days.  Go figure.  DS's space saver chair turns into a booster.  We could always try that if what we are doing now ends up not working.  
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  • emberlee3emberlee3 member
    My DD is very active and usually has trouble sitting for a whole meal. It also seems to wax and wane. She has a booster seat at the table. Lately, she has been pretty good for the first few minutes, then she decides she is full or not interested. Switching seats if your LO starts having trouble again is a good idea.
    DS born 8/8/09 and DD born 6/12/12.
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  • lana22lana22 member
    i would start shorter and gradually increase the time you expect him to stay. sometimes we would let my son sit on our lap if he didn't want to stay in his seat. would also try giving him his own chair.

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  • christinasullie37christinasullie37 member
    Dd also does do much better in a booster. We let her down as she chooses but if she gets down she gets down and says all done then she is done for the night except for fruit like pp. Most of the time she won't eat that either. It's been about six month since dd's eaten dinner. But she will attempt to try harder with the booster.
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  • Nicole NortzNicole Nortz member
    We have been working on sitting in your chair until everyone is done.  My son is 2 and when he is done, tries to climb out (he can't) and yells "all done" repeatedly until the crying starts.  I have started turning his chair around so he can't see us until he calms down, and then I turn him back around.  I don't let him down, but he realizes that his show of behavior is not getting him where he wants to be.  Now, he doesn't do this often anymore, he will still try it with other people around or when we are in other places and we still turn him around, but it is few and far between.
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