Is my son ready for a seat at the table?

[KH369]

My son is 2yo and started nursery a few weeks ago. They say he is a great eater and sits well at the table with the other kids. At home my son sits in a highchair and the eating well varies day by day and as soon as he's finished/bored he will scream to get out of the chair, sometimes I'll let him out straight away, other times I leave him as I'm still eating my food or may need the toilet first. I just wondered whether to try sitting him at the table properly with us with a booster seat or something? Would he maybe eat better like that, since the nursery say he does, or should I not spend my money on a new chair and booster and rearrange my whole dining room just yet? Or is it just a case of it's going to happen sooner or later so may as well start practising my 'sit down and eat your tea!' routine now!

could you not sit him on a cushion and save the money you would have spent on a booster seat? it does sound like your son thinks he's too grown up for a highchair, whether you agree with him or not is up to you

I childmind and I only use boosters, even for babies! So I certainly wouldn't say he's too young. They are also very cheap to buy, you can pick up basic ones for about a tenner from Argos. Might be worth a try to see if he's happier like that?

oooh I didn't realise they were so cheap!

We used an Ikea chair which is a bar stool with a back, so it brings the child higher up to the table without a booster. At two we used reins to hold him on the chair so he couldn't get down all the time but felt like he was using a big boys chair. As he matured and could eat his tea without constantly getting up from the table we took off the reins. He still uses the chair at 5 and its been very useful.

Definitely ready for a seat at the table, I agree with PP to get a Booster seat with clips so he can't get out.

It will be hard at first because you will have to teach table manners (don't eat with hands, stay at the table will everyone has eaten etc) but worth it.

I found taking my kids to restaurants from early on helped a lot with this, but I know some parents wouldn't dream of trying it. 1yo and 6yo can both sit at a restaurant or kitchen table and eat nicely (1yo still uses hands obviously but trying with the spoon). Good luck!

Definitely ready. IME it's unusual for them to learn good table manners by being in a chair that forces them to stay where they are.

I'm a massive tripp trapp (or copy!) fan. Hauck do one almost exactly the same I think.

Kids sit at the table from early on with the wooden bar on it, like in a cafe baby chair and then you can keep on moving the seat and footplate of the chair as they grow. My 6 year old son still sits on his as they look so much more comfortable with their feet on something rather than trying to eat with swinging legs or having to kneel up to reach the table. We also use it facing the other way round at the kitchen worktops to help with cooking/baking etc.

• nearly 6 yo son

Thanks guys! I'm convinced! I didn't know you could get boosters cheap either (will get DH to buy one on his way home tonight haha) Think i'll get one and have a go, keep the highchair close by! Just means DH will have to eat the breakfast bar this weekend as we only have 4 chairs and his 2 kids are staying with us this weekend!

Get a folding stool for that occasional need for fifth at table

www.argos.co.uk/product/6003575