I have had a few queries on how I manage to get our children to sit at the table and eat by themselves and how we manage to get them to eat vegetables! So I thought I should just share how we do it. In case it helps someone out there 🙂 It would be done in 2 parts so it doesn’t get too long. Click for Mealtime Battles 2.
Part One: The highchair is a great friend
The moment our babies start solids they are put into a highchair. So the baby quickly associates eating with the highchair. This way, I don’t have to chase the baby and soon toddler all over the house to feed him/her. Also, it helps to contain the mess. And when the baby proceeds to self-feeding, I place old newspapers under the highchair to lessen the amount of cleaning up after mealtimes.
I also try to time baby’s mealtimes with ours. This welcomes the baby into family mealtimes and allows me to eat my meal with the family too! Obviously I don’t linger and get to savour my food as much as the others do but at least it allows me to eat seated instead of having to stand and eat. Or have to wait till someone finishes and takes over watching the baby so that I can eat.
Mealtimes get even easier once the baby eats more (at the moment the 9 mth old is merely into tasting her food) and is able to self-feed. Ah! Then I get to really enjoy my meals! 😀 Once that happens, we will also teach them to sign “finish” once they are done and I would allow them to get off the highchair and go play.
I know some families require their babies to sit through till everyone is done. But we don’t practice it here. At home, each child is allowed to leave the table once they are done with their meal. When we are dining outside, they would however, be required to sit and wait till everyone is done. Only the baby and/or toddler would be taken out, if necessary. The older children – 3 and above would also be required to bring their plates to the kitchen sink once they are done with their meals.
This early training at the highchair really has been very helpful in making mealtimes enjoyable. In the home and especially when dining out.
Hope this helps someone.
See Mealtime Battles 2.