To absolutely hate tea time with small children (3 and 1)?

[ihateteatime]

Worst time of the day by miles. I want to send them away and have them returned after tea.

Kids change all the time. As I said it can be dinner just in a picnic teddy bear fun way. I would be amazed if any kid would t want to take part tbh put music on and make it fun. Just try it. Saying they won't like it isn't being willing to try and make things better on your part.

Mum of toddler twins here to make you feel better 😁

1. Make sure they are hungry. If they’ve been grazing earlier they won’t be. Push dinner later if need be.
2. Remember what size their stomachs are.

If you have outside space just take dinner outside, it doesn't have to be picnic food but it reduces the mess and clean up time.

I found having the food ready early in the slow cooker etc a life saver and it can be kept warm for those eating later. It means the children can eat earlier before they are over tired. And then have supper before bed - something lite and not messy.

Yup! I agree. DP and I always says it’s the worst time of day. It’s getting easier though… we only cook once and eat together at about 6pm, then bed at 7. So between 5:30 and 7 it’s carnage. I also only have a 2 YO.

Some of the suggestions people roll out on here, honestly 🙄

Solidarity OP, I hate it too (although mine are each a year older than yours and it has got a bit better!)

I started inhaling my food to tend to DD as soon as she was born. We just did one family meal as soon as she was mostly weaned, she often ended up eating yoghurt or porridge instead of what I cooked but getting there.

My DH happily gets up to help DD but it means it takes him an hour to eat. She’ll take a few bites then refuse to eat anything else until she can have something different and then DH has to coax her to eat a bit more of her actual dinner,

I would like to have a dinner in peace at some point where I only have to worry about myself.

At 8 months old you can easily stop this you know!!!

Food in the high chair.
No food outside the highchair.

Simple.

If he doesn't eat that's fine, he can have milk.

I prefer him to eat and for me to clean up to be honest. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy it, but I'm parenting the child I have.

He eats a brilliant variety of foods in small amounts, and entertains himself mushing up the rest. Then crawls off to let me deal with the carnage.

Live in central London. No car. Everyone lived close- as all attended same nursery (or nearby). Appreciate it doesn't work if you live in a suburb, or are more remote.

Meant more social approach for the adults too- and only worked as we were all heading back from nursery. I wouldn't have taken my kids out to tea- would have been a pain.