What to do to make your 14mos old sit still in restrauant and high chair?

Question

My problem consists of 2 items. The first one, is while feeding him at home in the high chair, he tends to want to stand up and turn his body sideways. The second one, is while at a restrauant, we brings toys to keep him busy and feed him crackers as an appetizer while waiting on our food, but by the time we begin to eat our entree, he wants out of the highchair.
He is a very good baby!!! Other than these 2 issues that started this weekend, we have no problems...yet.

Answer 1

Just be firm and keep telling him NO. Don't feed him unless he is going to pay attention and behave, is one way to go about it. But what ever you choose, pick one or two disciplines and stick with them. He is testing you. Make sure he knows you are the parent and he has to listen to you, not the other way around.

Answer 2

You can't expect more of him than he is able to do for his age and maturity. It sounds like he is doing really well. Maybe when you go to a restaurant, don't put him in the chair at all until your food arrives. Keep him on your lap or whatever. That way, when you are ready to eat, he'll still have a little bit of patience for sitting in the chair.
At home, you just have to be patient. Calmly show him that when he sits down in the chair he gets fed. When he stands up, the feeding stops. Even if that means you have to devote way more time than you want right now to the whole meal time. If he stands up, take him out and let him down and go about some other business of yours. In a few minutes, reapproach him and try to take him back to the chair to sit for feeding. When he is hungry, he will want to sit and be fed. Be sure that in the end it turns out that you are training him, rather than that he is controlling you. I know sometimes it's hard to tell the difference at this age, but it all works out for the best if you stay calm and unemotional about it. (Easier said than done when you are hurrying.) Good luck.

Answer 3

Just stick with it, the more you make him stay, the better he will understand that this is the rule. Don't have unrealistic expectations as to how long he should sit still though, if it doesn't happen at home, it won't happen while out. Maybe you could find a way to let him walk around by the front door or something before the food comes, so he is only there for the meal? Or take a break part-way through to let him stretch his legs and satisfy his curiosity about something, even just a walk to the bathroom, wash his hands or change his diaper might satisfy his urge to roam enough that he'll be happy for the rest of the meal.

Answer 4

Your child should not be expected to sit in a high chair for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. At home, feed him and let him down--to avoid the standing up issue use the high chair belt to secure him. Your choices for going out--get a sitter, go to a child friendly place, or refrain from eating out until he's a little older.

Answer 5

Just keep a eye on him while he is eating when at home, so that he doesn't fall or just to be safe place a mat on the floor for him to eat there until he understands that it is unsafe to stand in his high chair. You may have to cancel eating in restaurants until he is older, and just do the fast food places or if there is a favorite restaurant that you like, call ahead a do take out. He maybe at the age when he now wants to explore and cant do that when he is in his high chair, it is a stage.

Answer 6

We always make sure that the waiter brings our check and we pay as soon as we get our meal that way if there is a meltdown, we can leave.
It's hard to sit still for so long when you are so little. Try walking him to the bathroom twice (once by you once by dad) before the food is there and then do the crackers and stuff once the food arrives.
At home, he is just trying new things. As long as he is still safe (sitting sideways) let him. Mine does. She can see more (so she thinks) and likes it better.
Try to get them in the highchair only when you are ready to feed them and out of the highchair as soon as they are done.

Answer 7

Don't sit him in the chair. Most restaurant high chairs have no padding. Ask for a booster seat instead. Put it on a regular chair.
Pad the bottom with a baby blanket or the childs coat.
Strap him in. Ask the waitress to bring a small serving of whatever dessert she can get her hands on right away
and bring it to the table. Feed it to your son. No problems.
This worked with my son who is now 3 and it's working with my one year old daughter. At, home, don't use the high chair. Get a booster chair at Walmart. They strap on to regular chairs. Then he can use the table instead of a tray like big boys and girls. High chairs don't work for toddlers very well.

Answer 8

Make his food before you put him in the highchair. When he starts goofing around he may be full. Put his food in the fridge and clean him up. If he is hungry later heat it up and start all over with putting him in when the food is ready. As for going out some restaurants allow you to call ahead and put in your order. Try having it ready upon arrival. If he does not want to sit in the chair sit in a booth put him beside you or your spouse in one of those booster chairs. He may want to sit at the table like mommy and daddy. If you feed him crackers before his meal he will be full and you will not be able to enjoy your meal. Make your meals quick at first as you are introducing him to the restaurants. Good Luck

Answer 9

You're at THAT age! My son is 3 1/2 and we've only begun to try restaurants again. And only the most kid-friendly ones. The fact that you are having appetizers means you are trying to hang-on to your pre-baby life. :)

We get booths so ours can sit on his knees, stand, sit in a booster etc. We starve him before we go, and only give him his food when we gets ours. Then we eat in 15 mins and rush out before a break down occurs. At the end, we swear we will never do that again!

You might want to eat at home or get takeout.

Answer 10

well, try to keep him out of the chair until your meal get there. Take him outside for a stroll, to look at decorations, whatever. Then when it's time to eat, it's all about distraction. Toys, crayons, cheerios, the whole shabang, and try to make the toys new and interesting. They'll keep him more occupied if they are toys he hasn't already played with a hundred times.