Should a3year old sit at the table to eat

mumps

margaretclare wrote: »

No, they are not!

If grandparents have any value at all, it should be that they have a little more time, a longer perspective, and should encourage more civilised habits.

No one gets a biscuit in my house because I don't have them!

My granny always had a jar of toffees, oh how wonderful it was when granny went to the toffee jar! I remember them so well, they were from Woolworths, a white wrapper with blue writing and the picture of a blue lady in a crinoline dress I think. No toffees in the world have ever tasted like them. Oh I would love one now, reminds me of the Werthers Original advert with the grandfather giving the child a toffee, but obviously my granny's were better.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

mumps wrote: »

My granny always had a jar of toffees, oh how wonderful it was when granny went to the toffee jar! I remember them so well, they were from Woolworths, a white wrapper with blue writing and the picture of a blue lady in a crinoline dress I think. No toffees in the world have ever tasted like them. Oh I would love one now, reminds me of the Werthers Original advert with the grandfather giving the child a toffee, but obviously my granny's were better.

Dainty Dinah toffees?

Or Devon Toffees in a Dainty Dinah jar?

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Dainty Dinah toffees?

Or Devon Toffees in a Dainty Dinah jar?

You can still buy the toffees.

daska

mumps wrote: »

Yes he did learn to use cutlery and sit at a table, my point was that reading some of the replies it could be assumed that if a child wasn't sitting at a table at 3 then they were spoilt, had no table manners, would run round in restaurants, would eat junk foods and who knows what else.

If the childs mother and grandmother don't insist he sits at a table to eat it really isn't the end of the world and to all the people who have said they insist on this and that and their children have turned out great, well that is lovely but there is probably more to bringing up a child.

They may well learn different behaviours at a later date but on an entirely factual level then if they are behaving in that way then they do have no manners. And they do have to learn to sit at a table and eat at some point - why should it come down to the school dinner ladies to teach them what they should have learned at home.

And there is more to parenting, but again, when does the child learn this? I'm guessing here but I imagine there were some good role models around for your child to learn from. I have lots of friends who have bf for extended periods and without exception they have family meals at the table for the older children and entertain at the table rather than in front of the tv. So it sounds as if you lead by example. But if the child never experiences/ sees this then where do they learn from?

mumps wrote: »

Personally I have always hated the idea of a. making a child eat everything on their plate and b. making a child try something however much they dislike the look or smell of it. I have got to my 50s without ever eating prawns, you would see the mother of all tantrums if someone tried to force me to eat them. I can't explain to you why prawns revolt me so much but they do. If anyone had tried to make me eat them when I was a child I think I would have left home.

I like prawns but they really don't like me very much at all - bleugh! But I have always made a point of insisting that my children try things. If I hadn't then DS1 would never have discovered ice-cream, and I had to hold his nose to get the first spoon in :rotfl: DS2 (5) has recently tried snails, figs,

mumps

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

Dainty Dinah toffees?

Or Devon Toffees in a Dainty Dinah jar?

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.

thegirlintheattic

My view is eat at the table but not be forced to clear plate.

mumps

daska wrote: »

They may well learn different behaviours at a later date but on an entirely factual level then if they are behaving in that way then they do have no manners. And they do have to learn to sit at a table and eat at some point - why should it come down to the school dinner ladies to teach them what they should have learned at home.

And there is more to parenting, but again, when does the child learn this? I'm guessing here but I imagine there were some good role models around for your child to learn from. I have lots of friends who have bf for extended periods and without exception they have family meals at the table for the older children and entertain at the table rather than in front of the tv. So it sounds as if you lead by example. But if the child never experiences/ sees this then where do they learn from?



I like prawns but they really don't like me very much at all - bleugh! But I have always made a point of insisting that my children try things. If I hadn't then DS1 would never have discovered ice-cream, and I had to hold his nose to get the first spoon in :rotfl: DS2 (5) has recently tried snails, figs,

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.

I never relied on dinner ladies to teach mine, they were home schooled for primary school so they learned most things at home, manners, history, RE, reading, maths etc etc etc.

I wonder why you felt the need to force your child to eat ice cream. Holding his nose to make him try something seems well ............ unneccesary? Mine generally tended to eat things because mum and dad were eating them so they wanted to try. For some strange reason they all like chocolate :cool: Can't think where that came from.

thatgirlsam

mumps wrote: »

I was still breastfeeding when mine was 3, he didn't sit at the table or use a knife and fork! I don't know how he has turned into such a well mannered, polite, intelligent young man who is doing really well at a good university. If only he had sat at the table and used cutlery who knows what he might be doing now.

Not exclusive breastfeeding, surely?

He must have been eating solid food aswell??

Person_one

thatgirlsam wrote: »

Not exclusive breastfeeding, surely?

He must have been eating solid food aswell??

Don't start that debate too! :eek:

mumps

thatgirlsam wrote: »

Not exclusive breastfeeding, surely?

He must have been eating solid food aswell??

:cool: well :rotfl:that would be telling.