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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Problems with a highchair.

14 replies

wellsie · 10/08/2005 22:07

I haven't been on this site for ages but I'm afraid I am in need of help - again.
DS is refusing to get in his highchair to eat his meals. Today he didn't have any breakfast or lunch and I think he only had his tea because he was starving.
After much screaming, arching back, etc I manage to get him in it. It's then a fight with the bib and the slide on tray. Once this is done he then cries and turns his head a way from the food.
I've tried giving him different cutlery, removing the tray and pushing him up to the table, not making him wear his bib but nothing seems to be working. He's 19 months and seems to be crying a lot just lately.
He's always loved his food, a 2 weetabix boy and anything else he can get his hands on. I don't think he's unwell because at nursery they say they've had no problems
Is this a new phase and if so what do I do about it and when will it stop.

Please advise, many thanks
Wellsie

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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KBear · 10/08/2005 22:08

How old is he wellsie?

KBear · 10/08/2005 22:09

oops just re-read - 19 months!

Original poster

wellsie · 10/08/2005 22:09

19 months KBear.

OP posts:

KBear · 10/08/2005 22:10

Is he too young to sit to a mini table like a big boy? Mine DS is nearly 4 and you forget what 19 months is like. Probably a bit too young but worth a try?

Original poster

wellsie · 10/08/2005 22:10

A mini table? What's that?

OP posts:

Hattie05 · 10/08/2005 22:13

If i were you, i'd forget the highchair for 2 days, sit him on your lap to eat each meal. By the third day, i bet he'll have forgotten about his previous dislike of the high chair and will let you put him straight in. Then give him plenty of praise.

Lizita · 10/08/2005 22:18

Maybe it's as simple as feeling restricted in it , presumably he has more mobility and new found freedom? A mini table might be an idea to try, but having tried it with my (slightly older)dd just to see what happened not because i had problems at the table, I soon went back to the table cos she wouldn't stay sitting ! But maybe it wouldn't be a bad thing if he could move around if he wanted to, he might eat more, he'd have control over it iykwim

i'm probably talking rubbish

cerys · 10/08/2005 22:30

Wellsie, would he sit in it without the tray? DD2 did this for a while, but would happily sit in the highchair directly at the table with the rest of us. You might need to watch he doesn't pull the cloth off though!

Or, can anyone lend you a booster seat so he thinks he has a special "big boy" seat now?

DD1 used to happily sit at a plastic child size table and chairs from Argos, but we wanted her to get used to eating at the table as a family, so didn't use this all the time.

Good luck!

Carlk · 10/08/2005 22:37

dd 15 months has just "moved on" from her high chair into one that is a travel chair that straps onto a normal chair it works like a booster withou the tray and she sit at the table with us. She only has a few words so couldnt tell us, but we got the distinct idea that the high chair was for babies and big girls like her sit in a proper chair (like she does at nursery now)

Her opinion not mine

KBear · 10/08/2005 22:53

I mean a small table and chair - I got one in Ikea for about a tenner and I think DS sat to it at about 2 years.

KiwiKate · 11/08/2005 07:30

When DS got restless in the highchair, we just let him out, and let him play, on condition that he came to us periodically for what we call a "food toll" (mouth full of food), and he could wonder off and play while he chewed, then come back again for another foodtoll. He now voluntarily climbs into his highchair (minus tray), and we either put the tray on or push it up against the table for breakfast and lunch. He joins us in his highchair pushed up against the talbe for dinner if we have guests or are doing a family sit down thing. Otherwise we still do the foodtoll system. I was worried this would mean he wouldn't want to sit at a table at all - but he is good as gold if we go out and he sits in a highchair, or if we have guests. I think boys especially can feel a bit claustrophobic. Giving him a bit of freedom has meant that when we DO put him in the highchair, then he is very good.

Also, sometimes I give him a choice of whether he wants to eat at the high chair, or a small tray (with legs, like a small table, which is just the right height for him if he sits on his bottom on the floor). Letting him chose means that he usually behaves well (whichever option he chooses).

juuule · 11/08/2005 09:19

We let our dd get up at the table with the rest of us. She stood on the chair to eat as the table was too high and we didn't use a booster. As she grew she just copied and now at 2y 2m she sits down properly to eat. I admit it was a bit hair-raising at times when she would step sideways but with supervision she was fine.

WigWamBam · 11/08/2005 09:26

How does he eat at nursery? Is he in a high-chair there, or does he sit at a small table?

Bozza · 11/08/2005 09:27

DD is 15 months and I was so sick of the huge highchair I offloaded it to my nephew and she sits on a booster chair at the table. Generally she still has the tray on but I think soon we will remove that and pull her properly up to the table which is what I do for colouring, play dough etc anyway.

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