Table manners question

My girls are 21 months. All four of us eat lunch and dinner together at the table every day. After about 4 minutes of eating, they say "done" and want down from the table. If we let them down, they then whine at our legs while we are still eating and want to be held, sit in our laps, and eat off our plate.

Is this age too early to start teaching them to sit at the table for longer periods of time? We also can't eat out because of their inability to sit in a highchair at a restaurant for longer than 10 minutes. I was thinging of setting a timer and not leting them get up until the timer goes off. Am I asking too much too early? What do your kids do?

 

My girls are 21 months. All four of us eat lunch and dinner together at the table every day. After about 4 minutes of eating, they say "done" and want down from the table. If we let them down, they then whine at our legs while we are still eating and want to be held, sit in our laps, and eat off our plate.

Is this age too early to start teaching them to sit at the table for longer periods of time? We also can't eat out because of their inability to sit in a highchair at a restaurant for longer than 10 minutes. I was thinging of setting a timer and not leting them get up until the timer goes off. Am I asking too much too early? What do your kids do?

 

Once they are finished eating, could you let them play with toys or look at books while they still sit at the table?

 

We're in the exact same boat. I'm sure it's a phase. I remember but brother-in-law's first child being the exact same way. In fact, I think all of their kids were pretty much like this (6 kids...yah). I think it's just the age. Amber does the EXACT same thing to me. We'll get her down from her booster seat and she'll come to me and want to sit in my lap and then wants to use my fork to feed herself off my plate. I don't sweat it. I'm just glad she's eating. We also bought one of those Litte Tykes picnic/activity tables and have that in the living room and we'll let them eat their dinner there if they want. If they go in there though, I make them sit there if they're going to eat. Otherwise, I pick the food up. We went out to eat with them too. BIG mistake. Won't do that again for awhile. So, no advice for you but wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

 

I have always had them sit at the table until everyone is done. No set amount of time, just until everyone is through eating.

 

I make them sit until we are done, or at least one of us is. I try to stretch out their food so that we are all done eating at about the same time. I don't give it to them all at once, that really helps. If they are done before us, they are usually entertained by their spoon or a wipe. Ainsley especially likes to "clean" her tray. At restaurants, we give them little tiny bits of our food, or give them things to play with. They are usually OK going out to eat, we've only had a few bad incidents.

 

We've always had them sit at the table until everyone is done. It's never too early to start this IMO. On occassion we let them go play if DH and I want to talk but they generally do stay at the table until everyone is done even if they're finished.