...to be surprised at this 2yo still sitting in a baby-stage highchair at the table?

[HowlerMonkey]

Our DS1 got shifted out of his highchair and into a booster seat when he was 19mo, in order to make room for DS2 (who was 6mo at the time).

Consequently I was a bit surprised to see a photo of one of DS1's friends (who is 2 weeks younger than him) at his family dinner table in one of those giant highchairs which you'd happily put a 6mo baby in (i.e. very supportive and all-encompassing). I think his mum may have been spoonfeeding him too - if I tried that with DS1 he'd grab it off me with a 'Mother, what are you DOING?' look

The little boy is physically capable of feeding himself (I've seen him do it) and NT as far as I'm aware.

I do understand putting toddlers in highchairs when you're out to imprison them - I do that myself. But at home? At this age? Is that usual? I'm not sure whether we just moved DS1 up really early or what.

I'm not looking for a row or to be told how unpleasant I am; I'm just curious as to other people's outlooks. Thanks in advance!

[HowlerMonkey]

Just realised I never specified how old DS1 and his friend are now. DS1 is 2.4 and his friend is slightly younger.

[faeriefruitcake]

yawn

[SlinkyB]

Who cares?

[pianodoodle]

DD is 2 and 3 months.

We're happy with either or depending really! She feeds herself regardless of where she sits.

I'll still tend to pop her in the highchair at lunch time. She doesn't nap so it's the only time I can guarantee she's sitting in the same place for half an hour :)

At dinner time and when eating out (rare occasion) she sits on a normal chair round the table with us.

[Tiredmumno1]

MYOB

[absentmindeddooooodles]

Ds is 2.6. Up until a few months ago I pinned him into his highchair as he point blank refused to sit still at the table and not wander off. Hes been totally capable of sitting on a chair at the table since quite young....but it was more for my own sanity and to ensure he actually ate something rather than buggering off every 2 seconds, and me having to disipline/retrieve/restrain him.

Depends on the child I think. If he had been agreeable and didnt have the attention span of a gnat, he would have been out a lot earlier.

Fwiw alot of 2yo I know are still in highchairs.....the big ones too, as the mothers ( and I agree) dont see any point with buying a new one.

[woodlandwanderwoman]

Either you're looking for a pat on the back or a row... You won't get either from me, each to their own. I really don't think the kid will suffer too much in the long term!

[hettienne]

I think it's one of those things that, um - doesn't matter.

DS is 3.2 years old and has a Tripp Trapp style chair at home so is using the same chair he did as a baby. At my parents' house he is still in a big highchair. At nursery he sits on a little chair and if we eat out he sits on a normal dining chair.

[ravenlocks]

YABU. My twins are in high chairs with harnesses at 22 mths, ones that sit them up at the table (rather than having a tray) and they have a foot rest at their level.

[pigletmania]

Yabu horses fr courses. We have a strapped booster seat for ds 21 months, if we dident the little brighter would run off

[elQuintoConyo]

DS 22mo is still in his Antilop. Am I not doing it right? Is this something else I'm not doing properly? Is my DS a bit behind everyone else's dc? We've taken off the tray so it's against the table where he can reach his food to fling it round the room more easily. Shoudl I be spending more money on another chair? How many chairs will he need before he's in a big chair? And and what age? Lordy, I hope I'm not setting LO back developmentally

What's MYOB ?

[hettienne]

Your friend probably just doesn't see the need in buying a booster seat while their DS still fits in his high chair but is too small for a normal dining chair.

[HowlerMonkey]

Thanks to those of you who actually responded informatively!

That's interesting. I guess the fact that DS2 followed rapidly after DS1 (and stole his chair ) meant that we haven't followed the usual toddler timelines. We did end up having to buy DS1 a booster seat just so he'd bloody stay in one place though!

This may also explain why another of DS1's friends looked confused when we were looking after him the other day and I just plonked him on a chair for his lunch. I thought he just didn't like the food.....

[TheRobberBride]

Does it matter? My 2 year old sometimes sits on a chair, sometimes in a highchair. She has a tendency to get up and wander around if she's not strapped in and I can't be doing with that when I need her to eat breakfast in a timely fashion so we can do the school run.

[Thurlow]

If the toddler isn't complaining about being in the highchair, why would you go out and buy a booster seat? Do you think you would have bought a booster seat and moved your DS over if you hadn't needed the highchair for your DS2?

[5madthings]

My dd is three in Dec and still uses a highchair sometimes, we also have Tripp trap chairs and she will use one of those but if it is messy or she keeps getting down from the table or we have guests and need the chairs then she goes in the highchair.

[ILoveAFullFridge]

Our dc were still in the big highchair at 2. Nothing babyish - just convenient. They climbed in and out themselves. Sometimes they wanted feeding, and we obliged. No big deal.

Our dc all have boosters, because otherwise the table is up to their chests, and we don't like them to kneel on the chairs to eat.

[Sparklysilversequins]

It wouldn't occur to me to have "an outlook on this".

[HowlerMonkey]

MYOB is mind your own business!

I wasn't looking for anything other than an overview of what everyone else does, and now I am getting one. Which is good :)

[AngelsLieToKeepControl]

Your ds would probably still be in that chair of you didn't need to make way for ds2, different situations create different priorities. It really doesn't matter at all, childhood isn't a race or a competition.

[ILetHimKeep20Quid]

You actually spent that long thinking about this?

[HowlerMonkey]

Yes, I did spend that long thinking about this. I have been accused of thinking too much from time to time

I never said it did matter, I was just wondering!

Also, I'm pretty sure DS1 would still be in the chair if DS2 hadn't usurped it.

[ChippingInNeedsSleepAndCoffee]

You bought a booster seat - they kept using the highchair - what the hell is the difference?

Your tone is both superior and unpleasant.