Involving toddler - ideas please!!

[alwaysalaughtobehad]

Hi! Am about to start weaning my 5 1/2 yr old soon. Prob a mixture of BLW and purees. Am most apprehensive about how my toddler will take it as I am conscious that suddenly she (the baby) will also be in a high chair and she will be taking up a lot more of my time and attention. Changing dynamics I guess as at the moment she is a typical second child and spends a lot of time content in a bouncy chair/ on floor/ jumperoo with chaos happening around her as she looks on! I suppose he can help me? He is 2 and I have them both every day except one. Ideas please!!

I don't see why a highchair would be much different to the baby being in a jumperoo or whatever? Your elder child will only pick up on it if you get anxious or stressed about mealtimes.

You might find it easier to do BLW rather than purees plus finger food, as you can put the same food in front of both and then leave them both to it. I would just try and remember to praise your eldest for good behaviour, good use of cutlery etc.

I don't know if you've already started by now but this is something I've been mulling over too. DS1 is 2yo and DS2 is 18 weeks.

Still a couple of months before I'll be weaning him but BLW really worked for us the first time round and I'm hoping that, like the pp said, just putting the same thing in front of them both will work.

To make sure DS1 doesn't feel pushed out we've ditched the high chair and bought him a booster seat, really emphasising the fact that it's his big boy chair. He also absolutely loves helping to cook so am planning on encouraging him to help me make his little brothers food.

Try not to worry about it too much, I'm sure he'll take it in his stride! It's often us parents that overthink things!