Does your child have a hard time sitting down to eat as a family? Do you squirm in your seat? Does it seem like you always want to get up and eat somewhere else? This article will include some tips to help your son or daughter sit down to a family meal!
The first step is to determine what your child is doing before sitting down to eat. Maybe she was watching TV or he was playing truck with his brother. Your child may need a 5 minute warning. Try using a timer so your child really understands what “5 minutes” really means. Also, your child may need some time or space to move around before eating. This will help provide the sensory input your child may want before his or her attention is expected to be held. You may want to consider planning a walk, playing “Ring Around the Rosy,” or jumping in before a meal.
If your child seems to have too much room during mealtime, you may want to find a chair with arms to sit on. This will provide you with limits. Also, you can try alternate sitting, such as sitting on a large exercise ball or placing an inner tube on the chair. These suggestions will allow your child to move around a bit during the meal, but will not distract the rest of the family.
The food environment can be too stimulating for your child. You may want to play soft, soothing music during meals to calm children. Also, you may need to adjust the lighting or close the curtains or blinds to allow for a calming and muted effect. The kitchen table can also be too visually stimulating for your child. Sometimes when something seems really overwhelming, it can cause stress. Try removing unnecessary objects from the table (such as aluminum foil or wrappers). Provide placemats with visual cues on where to place utensils, plates, cups, and napkins. For example, find a piece of material that can be easily washed and draw the shapes of each mealtime piece on the material.
After discovering the most appropriate mealtime advice for your son and daughter, you will soon be enjoying a meal with your family!