How to Get a Toddler to Eat Meals at the Table
Eating at the table during meal time is a good habit for toddlers to get into. There is less choking hazard than when they are wandering around, eating and rolling around on the floor playing. Training a toddler that meal times are at the table make it easier to get the child to comply when you do want him at the table, such as at family gatherings or in restaurants. Some children may sit willingly, while others may put up a fight about it, but consistency pays off for parents in the end.
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Instructions
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Get your child into the habit of eating meals with the family, even when she is in the high chair. This reinforces the understanding that meal time is always family time, and everyone sits together for meals.
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Make the transition from high chair to kitchen table a rite of passage. Set a day for it and tell the child that he is now a "big boy," so he gets to sit at the table with everyone. The child sees the opportunity as a privilege he has earned.
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Set your child's table place so that it is inviting. Give her a booster seat so she can reach the table easily. Give her a plate, cup and utensils that feature fun patterns or characters that she loves.
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Stop feeding the child on the run. If he has already developed the habit of grazing from the table when hungry, or if you have been following him around to shovel in a spoonful whenever you get the chance, stop doing it. Tell him that meals are eaten together at the table, and no place else. Do not allow him to take food from the table without sitting at it.
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Don't supplement foods to make up for missed meals. She will learn that if she hold outs, eventually she'll eat where she wants anyway. You don't want to send this message. Toddlers need to eat regularly, so do not deprive her of regular snacks or argue about where she should eat her snacks. A healthy toddler won't starve if a meal or two is missed, and eventually hunger will encourage cooperation at the table.
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Don't make the table a place for power struggles. Ask him every so often if he is hungry and would like to eat, but do not reward him with attention for noncompliance. If behavior gets out of hand, employ your usual disciplinary methods, such as warnings or time outs. If the child is ignoring your offers of food, or whining about wanting to eat it elsewhere, ignore it as much as you can and join the rest of the family in dinner conversation.
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Don't try to bribe the child with promises of treats, desserts or by arguing about what or how much she should eat. Don't teach your child that she deserves compensation for everything she does, from eating to sitting still. It's her dinner, and it's her choice to eat it or not. It's your house, and it's your choice as to where meals are eaten. No negotiations are necessary; they just prolong the problem and encourage the child to negotiate a better deal at every meal time.
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When your child does sit nicely at the table, compliment him for sitting like a big boy. Allow him to excuse himself when he is finished eating, even if the rest of the family is not. Don't make him sit longer than he has to; the goal is to get him to eat at the table. Sitting through conversation and waiting for everyone else to eat is not a fair expectation for toddlers. Just start with getting him to sit for a meal, and as he grows you can work on how long he stays.
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Be consistent. If you allow the child to get away with eating in the living room or grabbing carrots from her plate on the run one day, and then get overly-firm the next day when you want her at the table, you are sending mixed messages. This will only encourage her to get away with not eating at the table, because you've shown her it is possible to achieve this goal.
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Tips & Warnings
If there are any special concerns about your child's low weight or dietary needs, talk to your pediatrician before skipping any meals.
- Photo Credit mwookie
