Toddlers, the ever curious and always excited little beings, are the hardest thing on earth to control. If you are having one at your home, you totally understand what I’m referring to. Right?
Yeah, we know what a terrible struggle it takes to keep these little bunnies still at a chair for the meals. But we also figured out some amazing, effective tricks to get them on the dinner table right away.
1. Get Your Toddler Well-Introduced to the Mealtime Routine and Rituals
Every family has some set rules to follow before and at mealtime. If you didn’t have that kind of mealtime routine, make it now. It helps to build a strong family bonding and to teach your little toddler some etiquette beforehand.
First of all, make it a habit to have meals on a specific time everyday. Give your little love headsup before each meal in a gentle manner. Because if you force them to quit their play or drawing, they would hold it against you and maybe the food you serve.
Take them to wash their hands, or maybe help you with arranging their foods. After each meal ask them to help you clean the high chair and the food tray they are using. In that case you can get an easy-to-clean high chair for your baby’s ease. That way they will habitually understand the routine and table manners without any extra effort.
2. Comfort Helps Your Little One Keep More Concentrated
Remember that discomfort might be a key reason why your little baby wants to escape from the chair. So, get them a very comfortable high chair with a ledge for resting their feet comfortable.
If your existing high chair doesn’t have that, then put a stool or low height chair beneath them. You can also use a booster seat that comes with a harness on the top of a regular chair. In fact for toddlers below the age of three, a harness is much convenient. It prevents them from tripping off, yet gives enough room to move comfortably.
3. Try Opting the High-Chair Cushion with a Wiggle Cushion
Toddlers are always enthusiastic and playful. Even at the dinner table most parents get a hard time keeping them to stay put. If you are facing the same, try putting a wiggle cushion on the chair.
These inflatable, bouncy wiggle cushions are good sensory play. Additionally, it strengthens the core and back muscles, while helping them focus better, especially for ADHD toddlers.
Besides that, the best trick to keep your child calm at the dinner table is getting them engaged in some physical activities or plays right before the mealtime. So, they will get tired and sit still hopefully.
4. Turn the Mealtime into a Fun-Time, be Creative and Playful with Them
Being a parent of the toddlers can be exhausting. And we totally understand that. But, you need to be a little more patient to build them for the future right now. So, try to sit with your baby at the dining table and do something interesting. If you are searching for a high chair for counter height tables to sit with your child at level you can find some great ones here.
You can make a list of fun games for the mealtime and try it every once in a while. Maybe you can decorate the foods in an interesting way that catches their attention. You can try out Sweet and Sour games, Flashcards, Rhyming games, I spy, giving challenges, making competitions in finishing fast etc.
These little gestures of sitting and communicating with your toddlers makes wanting to sit longer and being more focused on the dinner table. It will not only make them look forward to the next meal, but also stimulate their creativity and psychological growth.
5. Let Them Choose What and How Much They Want to Have
Well let’s admit it, Kids are smarter than you think. They really are. So, forcing them to eat what you bring on their plates will only make them want to get off the high-chair and flee from the dinner table.
So, ask them what they would like to have. Or simply bring them a variety of foods to choose from. Who knows, they might be wanting to eat what they denied just last week.
Yeah, bribing with the favourite food keeping for the last can help sometimes. But, once they realize that you are doing it consistently, your game is over momma!!!
Final Words
Well, we understand the concern of a mother. However, just RELAX! Do not get too obsessed with the amount they are having. If they are being physically active enough, they will eventually have how much they need. Making them sit for longer won’t help.
So, keep the mealtime short (15 to 30 minutes at max) and if they are denying eating it now, just ask them to help you put it into a container. So, they will know you have reserved the rest for later. And they are most likely to ask for it later.
