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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

96 replies

HowlerMonkey · 22/10/2013 21:35

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 Hmm

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!

OP posts:
jessieagain · 22/10/2013 22:12

This is very annoying, now do I have to worry about people judging why ds is in a highchair? Angry

Already have had some comments about why he is in a buggy. Answer: because he runs off otherwise and I would get absolutely no shopping done or he would run under a car! Hmm Yes he does have plenty of time to run around, this is why we go to parks.

pumpkinsweetie · 22/10/2013 22:12

Doh, highchairs are sold for babies stating from 6 months to 3 years!
Well of course some people actually want use out of a product that is clearly fit for purpose for the age it is intended for 6m-3yo!

Why are you intruding into such things as a simple photo of a 'friends' (ahemHmm) child sitting in a fit for purpose baby/toddler apparatus?
Rather judgey don't you think?

AnneOfCleavage · 22/10/2013 22:17

FWIW my DD age 9 still uses her tripp trapp Stokke chair for eating and homework and actually prefers to use it than an ordinary chair as it is the correct height and her feet are placed firmly (not dangling iyswim).

No one has ever commented on us still having it but I do wonder how long she'll use it as she's year 5 now. Apparently it can be used until they are 18+ i'm just chuffed we've had our money's worth already

Each to their own Smile

scarlettsmummy2 · 22/10/2013 22:18

Why on earth do you care? Obviously your child is incredibly advanced. Maybe even gifted Wink

JollyScaryGiant · 22/10/2013 22:18

DS is still strapped into his Tripp Trapp at 2.6 and I use a high chair for him if we're out for food. He's fed himself since 6mo though. No spoon feeding here. The babyset for the Tripp Trapp will be passed to DD when she starts weaning.

ADishBestEatenCold · 22/10/2013 22:21

I have clearly phrased this very badly so I've just asked them to delete it. Sorry to have wound anyone up.

Do mumsnet delete things just because someone has end up looking a bit of twit? I'm surprised if so, seems a strange thing to delete over, but maybe I'm treating that feeling too lightly. I suspect I'm often a bit of a twit! Grin

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 22/10/2013 22:23

Chipping I thought you said 'a row of golden stars' not or. As if the OP was a Macdonalds employee Grin

OP - YABU, and smug.

GertrudeTheDog · 22/10/2013 22:23

It's a bloody chair FFS

CuriosityCola · 22/10/2013 22:23

I think you are getting an unnecessarily hard time op. This probably would have been better placed in chat.

My ds was in a booster seat at a year and has been sitting without the booster from 2 years old. He could probably still use the boost, but wants to sit like us. I would like to say it's because he is advanced, but really it's due to my lazy parenting style Smile

Mumoftwoyoungkids · 22/10/2013 22:26

Dd is 3 years 6 months and only moved from a high chair to a booster seat a couple of months ago because her baby brother needed the high chair.

It's a bloom (the egg style one) so there was still plenty of room.

I'm of the view that "if it ain't broke don't fix it" and she was perfectly comfortable and happy in the chair.

She needs something to lift her up as meal times are a big thing in our house (we have "eaten as a family" since the day she started on solids) so they tend to last for longer than is comfortable to sit on your knees.

We stopped using the straps ages ago and she could get herself out so if she hadn't been comfy she'd have just climbed out!

sparkle12mar08 · 22/10/2013 22:26

Aw don't worry OP - come back and take your battering like a good girl Wink We've all cocked up on AIBU I'm sure!

In answer to your general question, ds1 was out of the big Mamas & Papas monstrosity at 2y 7m because that's when ds2 went into it, otherwise we'd have kept it for longer I'm sure. At that point though, he went into one of the smaller seat-on-chair boosters, for about another two years (he's v short!). Was on a normal dining chair by 5. I think most people just continue to use a first style highchair until another sibling needs it tbh.

gamerchick · 22/10/2013 22:27

I still have to mush food up and feed to my nearly 7 yr old op.

Please stop judging other people and concentrate on your own kids.

Brittabot · 22/10/2013 22:27

For what it's worth my DS1 (3.5) & DS2 (2) sit in Antelops for meals in the kitchen as they're the correct height for the kitchen counter. They are not strapped in and quite happy to sit there. For family meals in the dining room they sit on chairs. I want this to continue as long as possible as I like having them in the kitchen and normal chairs wouldn't fit.

You do sound a little as though you want confirmation that your friend is a bit behind you in this, but just because you've seen her child in a high chair doesn't mean they can't sit on a chair!

Oldraver · 22/10/2013 23:22

DS2 was well over three when he came out of his highchair. He was a little child and no sibling following behind that needed the chair. Even at nearly 8 he has a booster seat as he cant reach the table properly (elbows all awkward). When we are out he manages fine, but the booster makes it easier.

This all falls into the 'doesn't matter one shit' catergory. In 10 years time all this kind of trivia will not matter on jot.

RoadToTuapeka · 22/10/2013 23:30

My DS2 (nearly 3) is in a cheapo version of a Stokke highchair, no tray tho, he eats from the table, he is far too small to sit on a standard chair without kneeling/standing and frankly neither of those appeal!

As for whether the mum was feeding her child, well sometimes I still do with mine! Occasionally he refuses to feed himself (since the baby arrived and he gets less attention) sometimes I do hard line feed yourself line, but sometimes I'd rather he just felt special and actually ate something so I will do 'mummy's turn' and then 'littleRoads's turn'.

His 9 month old brother is in DS1's old highchair but we don't have the tray up just eats off the table.

Horses for courses and yabu.

TheFabulousIdiot · 22/10/2013 23:33

Just as a overview my ds was onto the high chair very early, though often wonder if that's why he is so bad at sitting through a meal.

Hamwidgeandcheps · 22/10/2013 23:43

Dd1 sat in a high chair then a me too until she was about 3.5. We only had a breakfast bar and I didn't want her falling off the bar stools. She is 4 now and I would think nothing of putting her back in one if she can't sit nicely at the table. I have a friend who dispensed with the high chairs really early for her dc, who stand on their chairs and run around the kitchen and they make me a bit mental Wink

OctopusWrangler · 22/10/2013 23:45

My not quite two year old needs a high chair. Actually he needs gaffertaping to the kitchen wall but a highchair is more socially acceptable! :o

PedlarsSpanner · 22/10/2013 23:49

hah puts me in mind of that poster whose kid 'rejected' the highchair; she did that thing

[eyeroll]

havatry · 22/10/2013 23:55

I think it's quite normal to have a dc in a high chair until about 2-3. Normal chairs aren't high enough for them until then. As for spoon feeding - some will clear a table of food, others it's a nightmare few years of coaxing and encouraging and desperately trying to get some calories in them. Be grateful you got an easy one.

imnotwhoyouthinkiam · 23/10/2013 00:13

Ds2.didn't stop using his 'proper' highchair (mamas and papas prima pappa if it matters) until after he turned 5. He cpuldnt reach the table without it, and I couldn't see the point of spending money on a booster seat when he still fitted in the highchair.

In fact we only stopped using it because it got.left outside in the rain for a few days.and went rusty.

Fakebook · 23/10/2013 00:20

What exactly is wrong with a high chair? Confused. DS is 21m and still uses his. It's quite big and roomy and he can feed himself too. Why would I buy a booster seat and waste money when I have a high chair? Really? Why?

stopgap · 23/10/2013 00:24

Mine is 2.3 and sometimes in the high chair unstrapped, sometimes the booster seat and sometimes in a regular chair. It depends on the circumstances, whether we have guests etc. Not a big deal.

Summerblaze · 23/10/2013 00:24

Dd was out of her high chair by 2 but ds1 was nearly 4 when he did. He does have developmental delay but COULD sit on a chair much earlier and did when we were out. But he liked it, he would climb in and out himself too. The mess was contained to one area and I knew he would eat if he was in there. Why would I take him out. He decided himself he didn't want it anymore. I agree. MYOB.

JenaiMorris · 23/10/2013 00:35

Anne has kind of beaten me - ds sat in a wooden highchair thing (one of those ones that converted into a table and chair) til he was about 5. It meant he was sat at a comfortable height. He's now 13 and as tall as me, but still chooses the chair with an ergonomic (as opposed to a toddler) cushion to do his hw