15 month old doesn't sit through her whole meal -- yours too?

Question

we have never made ruby sit in a high chair -- she always hated it, and it took so long before she would eat soilds, that i never forced anything she resisted. i am totally fine with that. she has a small ikea table (as recommended by someone from Y!A) that has been great. she loves it. lately, though, she sits for maybe 1/2 of what she eats, and then she plays, comes back for a bite, plays, comes back for a bite. i don't mind...we're pretty loose here with that kind of thing. but i am wondering -- is this normal, or is she just totally structureless?

Answer 1

Its completely normal but I always found it so annoying. Apparently toddlers find eating to be a chore! My daughter is 3 1/2 and I still have to beg her to sit and eat!!

Answer 2

That is normal.  I don't have a child, but that is normal.  My little cousin was the same way when she was that age.  She is three years old now.  

Answer 3

I guess it could be normal, all children are different.  My daughters and my niece have always been good at sitting at the table, but when they were that age, and my niece still is, in a booster during meal times.  

Answer 4

normal

Answer 5

hahahaha yeah my 13 month old does this!-hates being in her booster seat to eat but b/c I want to make sure she eats I just put the food on the living room table & she'll pick from it that way

when we do this she'll eat just about all of it - when shes in her chair half of it she drops on the floor!!!

grrrrrr! its pretty frustrating b/c I'm worried that if I don't get this in check now it'll always be like this hahaha

I find though that when we eat at the table together like a family she does really well in her chair

Answer 6

That's the reason many people prefer high chairs. :-) Meals shouldn't be an on-the-run thing. Our kids stay at the table until they are finished or excused. If they get up for anything except a trip to the bathroom, it's assumed they are finished. Remember that this behavior is being programmed into Ruby, so she won't know any better when you take her out to eat. I'm not heavily structured, but I don't want to spend all day in the kitchen, so we sit, eat, get up and clean up. If you don't mind, it's not a problem. Just be a happy parent!  

Answer 7

Sounds like your daugher likes to graze and at 15 months don't stress about a structured anything. They have plenty of time for that when they start school. Kids change their likes and dislikes regularly. My advice is just to go with the flow. They grow too fast.  

Answer 8

Sounds like a 15 month old to me.  It is a little hard to have much structure at that age.  She has only been alive 15 months.  I have canned goods in my pantry older than that.  She will improve with age and time if you gently coax her.  Let her be 15 months old.  I, like many parents, over structured and disciplined my first child.  She is 27 now and still is a type A person and very anal retentive-- drives us crazy, God love her.  I contributed to it though.  

When you are my age and your children are grown, you see things differently than when you are young parents.  Relax,  structure is great, and she will need a lot of it, but in gradual stages.  Don't frustrate her.  Let her enjoy being a child, and you cherish every moment, it is over so quickly.

Blessing to you and your little darling

Answer 9

Sounds like she gets full and is just slowing down.  Nothing wrong with that.  Never force a child a eat.

Answer 10

if you think she needs to sit through the entire meal then start removing the food when she gets up and say...(So your all Done)

Only then will she understand that it is meal time not play time.

It is very hard to do but it will keep her to a schedule therefore eliminating the potential for bad eating habits in the long run.

We are going through this with our 5yo and it is hard when we had allowed this in the past.

Answer 11

normal  

Answer 12

Ok it's normal. Children are natural grazers. I don't believe any child has to be part of the 'Clean Your Plate' club. So long as she continues to grow and gain it's fine.  

Answer 13

yes i have 3 year olds who still have that trouble from time to time, but you do need to convey to her that eating time is for eating or she can develop poor eating habits later in life. I do agree not to force anything, that is how i am with my twins, but when it comes to eating i make them sit and eat and when were all done if they are not then they can either throw it away or sit and eat more. You need to be careful of choking or a child getting used to just always snaking.. But yes it is normal for them to not want to sit and eat.. but important for the parent to try to get them to understand its "lunch time" "dinner time" and so on..  

Answer 14

Yea my little nephew and brother does the same thing too.

Answer 15

No that is absolutly normal. Children are always looking, scoping and checking things out on a daily basis at this age. They are very curious as to what things are all the time. However you should not immediatly store or put the food up. Leave it there as a reminder. So when they start wanting more they can see it. and remember it and they will more than likely come back to it.

Answer 16

thats normal mine done it

Answer 17

NORMAL-MY SON IS 15 MONTHS ALSO AND DOES EXACTLY THE SAME THING.....HE'S A LITTLE UNDERWEIGHT AT 20LBS AT 15 MONTHS SO AS LONG AS HE EATS WHAT I GIVE HIM ILL CHASE HIM AROUND THE HOUSE LOL