What are some age appropriate suggestions for family meal times?
“For children under six months: When possible, place your baby in his infant seat near the dinner table. Sight and family sounds are important to the establishment of early family identity. There will be some occasions when mealtime for the rest of the family will be playpen time for the baby. Six to twelve months (or until the child can feed himself): At this age, your baby may actually eat his main meal before the rest of the family sits down. Then, while the rest of the family enjoys their meal together, the baby can sit in his highchair with some finger foods. Now everyone is participating, and Mom gets to enjoy her meal as well. Twelve months and older: Family mealtime should be characterized by everyone eating together. To keep the evening meal pleasant, put more concentrated effort into highchair problems at breakfast and lunch. That does not mean you will not correct during dinner, but the concentrated effort at the other meals can speed up the process of dining harmony.
