How do I get my 2 year old to sit down at the dinner table?

Question

We are trying to teach our 2 year old to sit at the table, she feels when she is done eating then she should be able to get up and walking around. At our house this is ok, but when we are out in public it becomes a issue and she will freak out and start screaming if we make her sit.

Ok, I guess I phrased what I said wrong. We don't just let her get up at home when she is done eating. We understand that she not going to sit down in public if we don't make her sit down at home, that is why when we eat, we eat only at the table. I am asking for ways that we can teach her to sit down thru the whole meal until everyone is done. Please if you are going to attack someones parenting, just don't comment.

Answer 1

Start by reminding her when you sit down that we all sit together until EVERYONE is done. Remind her when she is close to finishing as well. Have a basket handy with coloring books or small toys to keep her occupied when she gets done (just like you would at a restaurant). If she does get up, lead her back to the table, and say sternly, "We stay at the table until everyone is done." Let her scream and ignore her...she's only yelling to get what she wants, don't give in to her. If she gets up from the table a second time...and so on, just lead her silently back to the table. After a few such battles...say a week or so of consistant enforcement she'll learn to play with her toys until mom and dad say she can get up...and don't forget to praise her for staying at the table...even if you had to get up a few times and make her come back. If she is still screaming when you are done eating, make her sit there until she stops...otherwise she won't realize that it wasn't the screaming that convinced you to let her down.

Answer 2

Start teaching her at home. Don't let her get away with anything you wouldn't want her to do in public. My 2 1/2 year old step daughter was the same way at that age. So we started at home making her stay seated until everyone was done. We would give her incentives like if she stayed there she would get something special that only she got. Good luck it just takes time

Answer 3

Well you answered your own question... you can't teach her one way at home and then a different way elsewhere.

2 year olds learn from repetition and consistency. You're not being consistent.

The whole family should remain at the table throughout the meal... then everyone leaves together. But remember, the attention span of a 2 year old is much less than you and your husband.

Answer 4

Two is too young to have control enough to sit quietly through an entire dinner...it just isn't reasonable and restaurants should be a no-no until she is at least four or five.

Answer 5

as bad as it might suck... she doesn't get to go to a restaurant till she learns to sit at the table at home without getting up... if it ok at the family dinner table... then her mind can't really wrap around the idea of the dinner table being different at a restaurant if the family is sitting around it... i would recommend giving her visuals to learn time spans... like .... when all my food is gone from my plate, you can get up from the table... do that till she gets used to it and then spread it out... when all my food is gone and my glass is empty, you may get up from the table... and so-on...

Answer 6

Don't force her. Let her get up when she's done and the next meal is breakfast, no exceptions. Natural consequences
(hunger).

Don't take her to restaurants unless you can control her. This ain't her problem--it's yours.

Answer 7

Put her in a high chair, and don't let her get up.