Do you let your kids bring their stuffed animals to the meal table?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah. Not a big deal in our house, it helped him stay appropriately behaved, and he eventually outgrew it.

We too bring an animal/toy to the dinner table. Luckily it is not so distracting, he just like's having his "friend" sit wit him and eat.

I'm not too worried about it, as the above poster said, I'm sure he will out grow this. I've never seen an adult with their boo-boo bear out to dine.

[Anonymous]

I also have the no toys policy at my house. It started because I hate stuffed animals anyway because they are so hard to clean and because I hate wiping food off things or having extra things to clean when a cup of milk spills. I'm kind of glad that I started it young because at this point my family has about outgrown our kitchen table and there is no possible way that we could fit something from each kid and still have room for the entire family.

[Anonymous]

No toys, books, stuffed animals or papers at the dinner table -- rule applies to adults and kids. I'm more lenient about the kitchen table, where stuff is always sitting, and meals are more casual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've dined with a giant inflatable horse on the table. Not at the table -- ON the table. Who needs the Inn at Little Washington when you have an electric yellow blow-up pony grinning at you?

lol. love it! that's our house too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also have the no toys policy at my house. It started because I hate stuffed animals anyway because they are so hard to clean and because I hate wiping food off things or having extra things to clean when a cup of milk spills. I'm kind of glad that I started it young because at this point my family has about outgrown our kitchen table and there is no possible way that we could fit something from each kid and still have room for the entire family.

it's time to relax. they're stuffed animals.

[Anonymous]

Of course!! Sometimes we have elephant parties, where all the stuffed elephants wear party hats and have their own chairs, or they share their chair with one or two other stuffed elephants (we collect stuffed elephants). We give them each their own bowl and cup and spoon. Sometimes it's the little plastic animals having a parade or making a tower or creating some drama. And sometimes it's the thomas trains lined up around the placemat like they're all in their sheds. When the Spongebob Squarepants happy birthday balloon was still floating, we tied him to a chair so he could join us at the table (and took lots of hilarious pictures). My only rule is that they can only pretend to eat, and can't actually touch the food.

Send your kids over to our house -- we have a blast at mealtime!

[Anonymous]

I'll let my son bring his lovey to the table but he can't hold it and it has to be away from the food... only because I don't want it to get ruined, we don't have a back-up and it's truly the love of his life, LOL. Same with my daughter's precious blankies... she can't bear to be without them when we're at home, so if they got dirty I would have to throw them in the wash and she would have a fit (I usually have to sneak them in the wash when she's fast asleep).

[Anonymous]

Not a big deal. It never even occured to me to have a rule against it. My 3.5 yo brings her "baby" to the breakfast table about 205 of the time and once even tried to feed it cheerios. They are only kids once so I say let it slide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not a big deal. It never even occured to me to have a rule against it. My 3.5 yo brings her "baby" to the breakfast table about 205 of the time and once even tried to feed it cheerios. They are only kids once so I say let it slide.

Oops, 205 + 20%