As our little one gets closer to eating solid foods I am thinking more about using the table. Before he was born my husband and I were doing much better at sitting at the dinner table and turning off the TV for the whole 15 minutes that we ate dinner. We have stopped doing that - we probably need to try that discipline again. As I read more about using Montessori methods in the home they focus on feeding a lot - it's obviously an important life skill. They actually suggest not using a highchair at all. They encourage feeding on your lap until the child can sit up well enough in a "weaning" chair. I have yet to actually see this "weaning chair" in action. From what I can gather it is a little wooden chair that they can sit up in at a table that is their size. Another Montessori mom recommended using the bumbo chair to feed in (my niece looks VERY cute in her chair) until they get old enough for a chair without "restraint".
I have a very nice highchair and we will use it. I guess I'm beginning to think more about the toddler stage. I have watched many a toddler deftly manuever in and out of "big" people chairs. At times I have been very frightened for their safety as they come close to banging into the table or the floor. There are some chairs that are designed to help alleviate this problem and they look like good furniture but I am not convinced that they are worth the price. They are totally adjustable from infant up to adulthood - so they really could last a long time. They don't look that comfortable but for more money you can get a chair cushion. There are two kinds - the Stokke Tripp Trapp on the left. The other choice is the Svan highchair. They are intended to help your child be able to get in and out of the chair easily by himself. They also pull up easily to the table. Another feature is the foot rest - so the child feels more comfortable and secure. Another interesting entry is the Combi transition chair (below). I have a Combi stroller and love it. One of my friends was here yesterday and picked up the stroller. His comment was that it doesn't give you enough of a work out because it is so light. Anyway, this is an interesting idea.
So, those of you with older children out there - what do you think?? Do these contraptions make sense? Are they worth the investment?
3 comments:
I am all for the feeding on the lap in the early stages of feeding solid foods! Our kiddos (including you) did exactly that. I would hold you on my lap and put one of your arms behind my back. I would hold the other hand with my own hand. Guess what? There was NO playing with food during our feeding times! There were no lose hands to play with foods!!! Worked like a charm. Then when we did put you into a high chair, you still didn't play too much with your food. Somehow it turned out great. But, then again, my children were perfect!!!
I too would be interested in others comments concerning these unusual children's seats as I might be interested in purchasing something like these for my grandchildren.
We have a PegPerego Prima Pappa that we received as a shower gift for Meghan. Both Meghan and Tabitha have/are using it. First we put them in it with out the tray and then as they started to feed themselves we added the tray. Which is a nice way to help contain the food when they start feeding themselves. The tray works well for containing those slippery Cheereos when they are learning to use the pincer grasp. We've always had the chair right next to the table. Before kids we also ate on TV trays, now we sit at the table.
I like the Peg because it has two trays, one for food (easy to remove and clean) and one for playing, I used it with Tabitha for drawing time. I would tape a large piece of paper on to the tray and then she could color while her sister colored at the table. Now we've taken the tray away are using the chair as a "high" chair at the table. We did this for a little while with MEghan and then we used a booster seat that secured to an adult chair. Tabitha is smaller and needs to be confined a little bit more. Meghan rarely made messes with her food, Tabitha is one who needs a bath after each meal. She is getting better which is one reason we moved her to the table and she really wanted to sit at the table like the rest of us.
The Peg we have can slide up and down so we can adjust the height so it slide right under the table and puts Tabitha up at the right heigth to eat at the table. When we were feeding her we had it a little lower to make feeding her easier and then it was higher with the tray so that the front part of the tray could overlap the table a bit.
Hope this helps a little.
Ski
I spent a lot of money about 100 years ago on the latest nifty multi-purpose chair. It seemed to do everything, walk-talk-come when you call. Personally I found that it became difficult to keep using it's multi-purpose functionality. And I ended up using it just as you would any other good high chair. I kind of think they are just another sales pitch waiting for the right buyer. I think you have good common sense and will do just fine without collecting all the latest & greatest gadgets out there. Your child will do fine without all the doo-dads (is that an old fashioned word/idea?) Also think that much like I was - we 1st time mothers buy into the 'need' for extra things. By the time you are on your 3rd, you won't have any trouble laying off the nifty gadgets. BTW - love reading your blog.
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