Toddler table manners...help!

[sunnyside]

My DS is 2.1 and is generally pretty easy going. At home we eat together and then when he's decided he's had enough he signals this by giving himself a clap and holding up his hands to be wiped clean. He then gets down from the table and goes off to play while we continue with our meal. I think this is reasonable for his age. He has a good appetite and so is usually at the table for a decent length of time. BUT if we go to MIL's or SIL's to eat he's often waited a while for his food and seems to go past the wanting it stage. He gets really excited and starts yelling to get down. Most times we let him go as it's the only way everyone can eat in relative peace. I don't want this to become a battle of wills at someone e;se's house and feel he's too young to really understand that he ought to sit a bit longer but equally I can't abide bad manners in older children and wonder if this is the slippery slope.... what do you think?

[bananaloaf]

ds is 3 and he will sit for us but can get over excited at other peoples houses. it is because he is waitng for food rather than being called when the food is ready. maybe we both shoudd try making them sit at the tanle at home waiting for food to get them to practise hth

[sunnyside]

Thanks banana although I meant that whereas at home we have a routine of dinner between 5 and 5.30 ish we are often invited to dinner for 5pm and food doesn't appear til gone 6 so he's beyond hungry....possibly.

I don't expect everyone else to have to work around us but we try to discourage eating between meals so my little bloke is famished!

[bananaloaf]

i have never made eating an issue. my only rule is that if he leaves the table then he doesnt come back if something infinitly nicer comes along! i aggree with manners in older children but i think you are doing the right thing. the stage is set so to speak and we can only hope that it sinks in! god we mothers are nags!

[sunnyside]

I feel much better thanks! Sometimes it helps to just know that someone else, independent of the situ, thinks along same line.
cheers!

[bananaloaf]