Eating Arrangements

My boys currently eat in their high chairs typically using their trays as their plates. They use utensils regularly and are getting pretty good at poking food with their forks. When I try to use bowls or plates, they shake the food off onto the tray and then chuck the plate. I'm thinking about converting their high chairs to boosters and bringing up to our table or letting them eat at their little picnic table. Should I attempt it? What are your kids doing or what did they do at my boys' ages? Thanks!

 

We just started letting them use their little picnic table for breakfast/lunch at 18 months. Its been great! I was of course motivated to make the switch because Im 8months pregnant and they are getting heavy.
They will keep plates on the picnic table but not on their trays.
When we have dinner we still do trays, no plates, and we give them utensils.

Try it for a few days and see what you think. I was just saying in another thread I feel like my kids eat way more during the day now that I allow them to graze from the table. I do enfoce the "food stays in the kitchen rule". Half the time they stand NEXT to the little table as they eat.

see my avi

 

LOL! I love that avi.

I've been thinking about this. Mine are 15 months old, and eat from the tray, but I have no idea when I want to move them to the table.

 

I made the switch at around 17 months and it was sooooo easy. I thought for sure there would be food/plate throwing. They were doing that a lot in their boosters with the trays.

Lately they will take all their food off their plates and then turn them over. They will then eat the food off the table.

It has been a lot cleaner since we moved to boosters at the table.

Give it a try. If it does not work you can always go back.

 

mine are still in high chairs and are using plates and utensils. there's only been a couple of times that the plate has been turned over on the tray.

tanya

 

So funny that you made this post...I told DH tonight while I was bathing the kids that I needed to post tonight about mealtime with the kiddos. I will write my own post so I don't hijack yours, but also because I have a few more questions, too!

We are still eating in highchairs, food on trays (no plates) with occasional utensil use. Tonight was the first time I really gave them a bowl of food and they were ENTHRALLED (they accidentally pushed them off the tray...though I can see how it would become the highlight of the meal to drop the bowl)! It got me thinking about our routine and the recent protests at meals...maybe I need to give them more freedom/independence.

Off to make my own post...