I have never been a fan of grazing. We have a "sit to eat" policy at our house. Our meals and snack times are scheduled. We deal with picky eaters, struggling to get them to eat, etc....(the norms for toddlers). Another mom (in my moms group) asked me if I noticed if they ate better when you let them run around. I didn't want to be rude with my response and be like "Well...we don't do that" But, in all honesty we don't do that in our home. Besides snacks, we sit at the table to eat. Even with snacks though, they are not running around, but they are at the coffee table. A few days later (after being asked this) we left on a vacation. The condo we stayed in did not have a table that was appropriate for toddlers. It was glass table, we didn't have the booster chairs....we just couldn't feed them at that table. So, for a week they ate most meals standing at the coffee table. We kept them scheduled just like we do home, but they weren't seated at the table. They ate so well there! I didn't think a whole lot about it...I thought we were just on the go and it had increased their appetite. We we got back home. We went back to our usual routine (sitting in boosters at the table). This was a month ago. The lack of eating and pickiness returned. This week I have relaxed about where they eat. Allowing them to eat at the coffee table...they are eating so much better. I am tired of the battles and am wondering what is the harm in letting them eat this way?? They aren't actually grazing, in that, mealtimes are still scheduled. The food doesn't leave the coffee table, etc... I have heard the arguments about making them sit at the table: teaches good table manners, social skills, safer (choking risk), makes them focus on food and not toys, etc..... Does anyone else allow their kids to sit somewhere besides the dining room table to eat? Do you think we are setting ourselves up for major problems down the road? Is it really such a big deal afterall?? I am just thinking at this point they are eating. Maybe we should concentrate on table manners later?? What do you think? What is your experience with it?
HA HA it's funny you posted this because we're in pretty much the same place. I always make them sit at the table, even for snacks, except when their snack is in the car. My children think they have to have a snack everytime we get in the car. But, we have been having more and more issues with dinner. Just last night we decided to loosen us our "dining policy", starting tonight. I'll let you know tomorrow how it went.
It is SO not a big deal. It is ok to wait until after 2 yrs 1 mo to worry about table manners. If it works, go for it!
This is a touchy subject for me. My mother INSISTED we eat 3 meals a day sitting down, and 1 snack. We were NEVER EVER EVER allowed to eat between meals, and maybe as a result I've sometimes had a hard & icky relationshop with food. So has my sister. I always felt soooooooooooooooo quilty if I ate anything between meals once I went to college and beyond. But this IS just me. I've learned to get over it. So, I do make mine sit for meals at home and out: main table, outside table, yes the car, stroller, etc. They can also stand when eating outside if they want. But snacks are sometimes on the go, and even when walking; for example they have snack at church after Sunday School, but if we have to be somewhere FAST afterwards then they eat snack while walking to the car. I try to be flexible about when they eat b/c they are growing; for example if they tell me they are hungry 45 minutes after a big breakfast, I will let them eat something healthy again (toast, cereal, fruit, cheese, yogurt, etc). I don't make them wait until "snack" time. Mine are both fabulous eaters and eat really, really healthy too. My DD asked for some of my green beans today, and my son asked for some of my celery yesterday. But they also ask for ice cream and popsicles a LOT. tee hee They are just entering the phase where they like to hide under the table when eating and my son is often trying to walk around when eating. I don't allow either of those, but it's a constant battle/reminder. But it could be worse; the biting phase could come back. Anyhow, I'd for sure let them eat at the coffee table if they are staying there, and eating well. It's possibly new and fun for them, and it's working for you. YAY! I say it's all good, as long as they aren't running around eating. Just my thoughts..........
Totally not a big deal. It's like when our kids were two months old and we all freaked out that they didn't sleep in cribs. And all the more experienced moms told us to just let our babies sleep in their bouncy seats or swings or wherever because they'd grow up enough to sleep in cribs eventually. And they all did, right? I figure eating standing up, walking around, sitting on the floor, whatever... is sort of the same thing. In general my girls eat at the table. In fact, almost every single meal is at the table, but snacks are standing at the table in the playroom, or on a picnic blanket outside, or munched while walking around our downtown area. Piper isn't a fan of meal time, so we tell a lot of stories and sing songs and compromise (one bite of chicken and you can sit side ways, two spoonfuls of peas and you can sit on Dad's chair, etc.). It's the only way to get her to eat, but I figure she'll grow out of it. So if your kids eat more at the coffee table, why not? If they want to graze some days, why not? As long as you have some limits and some rules, they'll learn table manners and protocol just fine.
I dont think its a big deal either. If they are eating well, I would let it go. We do snacks and a drink in the car too.
Thanks Ladies! Love the reassurance!! I think it is one of those "choose your battles" thing. This is one where I am tired of battling it and now choose not too. Sheryl~ How did it go last night?
Our meals and snacks were always set-but with leeway if they asked or were getting cranky. But, meals are at the dinner table. Snacks have always been on the move. HOnestly I think I never put them in chairs for snacks because it was more work for me to wrestle them into the chairs and as they got older it was the boomarang effect. They would sit take a bite them run to go play. I try to keep them still while they had food in their mouths but as long as they ate and meals had structure all is good. I also am more lax about dinner. As long as they eat well at bfast/lunch and snacks. Otherwise evening becomes a total battle. But, if I do not have them sit for meals, especially if we are not at home, they do not eat. So we have to have structure at meals.
