Counter feeders, Is it too early to stop strapping them into eat?"

Our kitchen has a built in island, that I feed the girls at. They have been wanting to get into and out of their seats, on their own. I have the seats that attach to the counter, so you have to lift the girls up and put them in. I'm wondering, if it would be safe to start letting them sit in regular barstools, with a booster seat, at the island. Do any of you have this similar type of setup? And if so, what's your experience been. I don't know if they would really sit and eat if they weren't strapped in, and some of the boosters, I've seen don't have straps. Plus, I would like to get away from having to strap them in.

 

Obviously all kids are different, but if I had mine up that high, I would strap them in....

I have boosters that I am attempting to use at the table and they keep sitting on the backs of them and pushing away from the table (DD knocked herself completely over backwards the other day - her Grandma almost had a heart attack as it happened in slow motion!) If you can be RIGHT there with them and not let up on the rules at all, you might be ok. I have moved mine back to their feeding chairs for a week or two and then we'll try boosters again!

 

I too have tried letting my boys sit up to the table in their booster seats rather than using their trays. I have to be RIGHT THERE all the time or they both tip backwards and try to go over. They think its funny NOT But they also have figured out how to take their trays off already too. Omg they grow up too fast B)

 

Happy Birthday! B)

My boys are not 2 yet but I think they are still way too fidgety and active to not strap in.

 

I think that they are still too young to let them sit on the barstools. At that age mine were in booster seats that had straps at the dining room table. I would be too nervous with them so high up and not strapped in. JMO.

 

Mine have been eating bkfst & lunch at the counter for about 3 months now. They have never fallen off but our stools have a rounded back on them. In about the last month they are able to get up and down on their own as well. I love not having to clean up the big table every time we eat. We still all sit at the dining room table for dinner, B&K in their boosters.

 

Sorry, just wanted to add that I don't use boosters at the counter, they usually just sit on their knees (our stools are padded).