Wandering toddler during mean times

[junkfoodaddict]

My DS is 2. Basically he wanders off during meal times and getting him to eat is now becoming a stuggle.

He goes to a childminder 3 days a week who says he eats everything she puts in front of him.

My mum has him 2 days and she says that generally he eats well for her and when at a toddler group, is known to eat his and everyone else's leftover toast!!!

At home, he usually was a good eater - except most vegetables of course! Likes his mashed potato, sausage, sweetcorn - they're his favourite.

Lately he has been wanting to be out of his highchair after just 5 minutes whether he has finished eating or not. If we want him to stay, he whines and moans and will not eat. We have the same problem when he is in his booster seat at the table. We have tried:

1. Sitting him on a normal chair at the table
2. Sitting him at his play table and chairs

Neither one seems to encourage him to eat - he wanders off instead!

A meal can take more than an hour for him to eat. Every attempt to take it away, results in him screaming 'no!'

I understand that toddlers will eat when they want to but I do not want to encourage a 'snack all day long' attitude to food or to feel that eating is a punishment.

Today his eating has been ike this:
2 mouthfuls of cereal - we alternate every couple of days so he doesn't get bored. Fine until a couple of weeks ago.
A slice of toast - a quarter eaten.
1/2 bag of quavers - cheese sandwich, cucumber and yoghurt had only 1 bite or a spoonful eaten. Allowed him 1 hour to eat it.
1/2 sausage, 2 spoonfuls of mashed potato - took him 45 minutes to do so.

Shall I allow him to wander and eat? (I don't want to but if it is a phase - fine).
Should I give him a specific time allowance to eat regardless?
Should I move him back to a strapped seat and make him sit until everyone has finished?

He has just asked his dad for his dinner - 90 minutes after it was served and 30 minutes sinch it went in the bin!!!

No stop letting him be so fussy. He's worked out he van play you so decide on your game plan for a meal he will sit in high chair for entirety and stick to it! Then let him eat what he eats with no fuss or ceremony and when the meal is over every one gets down.

grabaspoon That is the way I want to play it. But what time limit do I give him to eat? He will sit at the table and whine until we have eaten and still not eat his. Do I then put it in the bin and not give him anything until next snack/meal time?

DS is 2.9 and is the same: eats beautifully for everyone else, but won't sit up, or stay sat up, or actually eat food even when he specifically requests it.

We've taken the path of least resistance over Xmas. Making him sit ends in tantrums, negotiating gets us know here, and I'm not pleading with him. He had carrots and gravy for Xmas dinner. Nothing else. Today he had cold turkey and jacket potato. (We have offered him real food!). I will give in and offer bread and butter if he says he's hungry later (but not after bed time).

His older cousins (3 & 4) are much better. I'm telling myself it's an age thing. In the meantime the childminder and nursery are doing wonderful things with his table manners.

X-post: I'm clearly too soft

I wouldn't call it being soft etc etc. they might not be hungry, they might want to explore. With my ds, we started using the little table and chairs so he could get up and wander. He's good at sitting down aged 4. Dd is 2 and at the same stage - she likes to get up after a bit and come back to her food. She prefers snacking!

"If you get down from the table I will think that you've finished and I will throw your meal in the bin."

That us enough warning for a 2yo IMO. If he gets down, throw his leftovers in the bin without comment.

It may sound harsh but it won't do him any harm to be a bit hungry until the next snack time and he will soon learn to not get down from the table.

If he whines ignore him. If he doesn't eat within 20 mins of the meal being served let him get down and throw it away without fuss. It might take him a few days to realise you mean business but you can't let him dictate like this.