2 year old eating in front of TV

[SarahScone]

And I need to make it stop!
It’s a really bad habit and I want to crack it now before any truly bad eating habits develop.

Hes not quite 2 and has a will of iron. He also whines, and those whines can go to 100mph full blown screaming tantrum if not managed carefully. I definitely don’t give in to every (or really any) tantrum, but I have yet to tackle taking the TV away from meal times because I can’t deal with the fallout.

I use the TV in the morning (he’s up at 6 latest) to buy me a few minutes to wake up but then breakfast starts and if I don’t immediately head back to the TV to eat it after we’ve made it, the whining starts. And I know all hell will break loose when the new routine is implemented.
Sane with lunch and same with dinner.

(He eats like an angel at nursery, sat down with the other children and even has a good go at using his knife - he’s there four days a week for three meals a day).

Looking for hints, tips and solidarity!

Don’t put it on first thing! Fnd another way of entertaining him until breakfast is done.

The last thread I saw where a 2 year old watched an hour of tv a day, the op got absolutely torn apart. So I hope that doesn’t happen here and good luck!
I do think if they’re having a tantrum about not getting tv then that indicates they’re having bit too much tv.
personally and I feel bad about it, I do let similar age dc watch tv whilst they eat sometimes because they actually eat then, and try some new things that they wouldnt eat other times, it’s like there’s less pressure. I also think not all tv is created equally, some shows are pretty decent and my dc have learned lots from tv shows. But I try to do similar at the table, so we read books at the table or play with the Tonie box.

I think if they’re whining you have to just let them whine, I sit on the floor and tell dc I know you’re upset, I understand that’s really frustrating. Then you could say something like I’m here for a hug if you want one, and then we’ll go sit at the table and read a book, which book shall we read?

if he eats well in a social setting, what about trying to do a teddy bears picnic, and getting his toys sat around the table too all eating dinner as well?

Why not replace with music either some calming classical or Nursery Rhymes?

Maybe try to make the mealtime more fun -like previously mentioned you could do a picnic with teddies, or eat in the garden, or use a tonie box or yoto. Change where you eat. If you’re out at lunchtime then he can’t watch tv.
Another option could be to reduce the fun of the tv slowly. So instead of letting him watch a show like Paw Patrol or whatever he watches, you could put something like underwater scenes - just fish swimming across the screen. He’ll likely get bored of it and then you can distract with toys and pretending to feed them.
Or just go cold turkey and do no tv and try to survive the inevitable tantrums for a couple of days!

I know this isn’t what you want to hear, but sometimes you just have to tough out the tantrums and deal with the fall out.
You’re just training him otherwise to throw a wobbly when it doesn’t go his way.
He’s got to learn that mummy is in charge.

I was under the weather for a while and my 2.5 year old quickly got used to the tv being on a bit too much and started waking up saying ‘tv tv’ I knew it had to stop. Basically I started setting up little activities at night so that first thing we came downstairs to an activity. It’s really helped. It is more exhausting but it has paid off in terms of his behaviour. Then we’re about to get out and about of the house without a huge tantrum about the tv being turned off.