Should a3year old sit at the table to eat

daska

mumps wrote: »

Manners vary, when I was staying with a family in North Africa I caused offence by not burping! They didn't have tables but had their meals on the floor and you couldn't have seen a more committed family sharing food together. Just making a point that there isn't something magical about sitting at a table at 3.

Who said there was? But it's a false analogy because if you'd insisted on getting a table to sit at and not joined them then that would have been bad manners. Here we use tables and don't burp so that's what needs to be learned.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

mumps wrote: »

I think they were Devon Toffees, don't think they were in a jar, just loose on the pick and mix. Where can you get them? Mind you it might ruin my memories, might not be as nice as when granny had them. Think I would have to give them a try.

Did you like them? Thank you for reminding me of the name, don't know how I forgot.

Well, there are sugar free ones available on A Quarter Of.... and Amazon by searching on 'devon toffee' - they look like the ones I remember, and I think I've seen the bags by the tills in the garden centre. I used to get them, mint toffees (which were definitely full sugar), liquorice toffees and rum & raisin fudge. I had quite a sugar rush, too

I definitely prefer them to Werthers. They're a bit bland to me, and their new sweets are revolting, IMO.


The tinned driving sweets covered in icing sugar are definitely just as nice as when Granddad was sneaking them to me out behind the coalshed where I had tracked him down having a sneaky fag when my Mum's back was turned

thatgirlsam

Person_one wrote: »

Don't start that debate too! :eek:

:rotfl:

No, I just meant that of course we don't expect babies and children who are exclusively breastfed to be sat at the table whilst doing so

But at 3 it would be very unusual if there were no other food being consumed.. so he must have been eating at the table/on the sofa/in bed

(I eat in bed sometimes)

mumps

daska wrote: »

Who said there was? But it's a false analogy because if you'd insisted on getting a table to sit at and not joined them then that would have been bad manners. Here we use tables and don't burp so that's what needs to be learned.

As far as learning goes sitting at a table isn't rocket science, if they don't sit at a table till four the world won't end, they will catch up. Is it worth the OP falling out with his wife and daughter? Some people on here seem to think sitting at the table is really important but is it? If it is a big issue in your family then it is important, in other families or cultures it isn't. The OP wanted to be proved right but there isn't a right answer.

When my friends visited us we didn't use the table for main meals, I got a big sheet and we all sat on the floor, we didn't follow a strictly Arab menu but we did incorporate alot of Arab foods. It was great fun, the children all enjoyed learning about how things were done in each others countries. When I was in their country they didn't get me a table but they did serve my food on a plate, I am not sure if that was because they thought I wouldn't like eating out of the communal bowl with my fingers or because they put less spices in my food. I don't think they had knives and forks, I think they gave me a spoon, not quite sure now which shows how big a deal that was.

mumps

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Well, there are sugar free ones available on A Quarter Of.... and Amazon by searching on 'devon toffee' - they look like the ones I remember, and I think I've seen the bags by the tills in the garden centre. I used to get them, mint toffees (which were definitely full sugar), liquorice toffees and rum & raisin fudge. I had quite a sugar rush, too

I definitely prefer them to Werthers. They're a bit bland to me, and their new sweets are revolting, IMO.


The tinned driving sweets covered in icing sugar are definitely just as nice as when Granddad was sneaking them to me out behind the coalshed where I had tracked him down having a sneaky fag when my Mum's back was turned

Oh I forgot the liquorice ones. I must go and have a look at Amazon, thank you so much. Your Granddad sounds like he might have been as much fun as my granny. Happy days.

mumps

thatgirlsam wrote: »

:rotfl:

No, I just meant that of course we don't expect babies and children who are exclusively breastfed to be sat at the table whilst doing so

I hope you don't think he should have used a knife and fork either To be honest with you his teeth were bad enough.

mumps

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Well, there are sugar free ones available on A Quarter Of.... and Amazon by searching on 'devon toffee' - they look like the ones I remember, and I think I've seen the bags by the tills in the garden centre. I used to get them, mint toffees (which were definitely full sugar), liquorice toffees and rum & raisin fudge. I had quite a sugar rush, too

I definitely prefer them to Werthers. They're a bit bland to me, and their new sweets are revolting, IMO.


The tinned driving sweets covered in icing sugar are definitely just as nice as when Granddad was sneaking them to me out behind the coalshed where I had tracked him down having a sneaky fag when my Mum's back was turned

Oh no, they have toffee bonbons as well, I feel a visit to the dentist coming on.

lolavix

Well we're not as lucky as everyone else and don't have a dining table,so OH's son normally gets fed his food to save him dropping it everywhere. I just think they're kids and have plenty of time to learn and be 'grown up', obviously in the minority though!

onlyroz

Yes, my kids are expected to sit at the table when eating - and if they get up they are deemed to have finished. I'm also trying to get them to ask to leave the table, but that one is going to require a bit more work.

When in a restaurant, though, it is not appropriate to let the kids run around the place - and if they can't sit still for the duration of the meal then they should be taken outside until everybody else is ready.

Frogletina

lolavix wrote: »

Well we're not as lucky as everyone else and don't have a dining table,so OH's son normally gets fed his food to save him dropping it everywhere. I just think they're kids and have plenty of time to learn and be 'grown up', obviously in the minority though!

Obviously I don't know your circumstances but I cannot imagine not having a dining table.

I wouldn't call it luck. As a child our family had no television or washing machine, but we had a table - and for a time when I was quite poor with two young children, and this time with no TV, washing machine, telephone or even a radio, I made sure I had a dining table. It was second hand, as was the washing machine when I eventually had one - but that is how it had to be.

I live alone now, but I can seat 8 at the table I have which makes it ideal for family gatherings, four of the chairs passed down from my grandmother. This table was second hand too, and thinking back, I've never had a new one in my life but I'd never be without one.