Toddler suddenly refuses high chair and wants to sit in mama’s chair

[Anonymous]

Two meals in a row. Is this just a phase? She is nearly 2 and I got her a Tripp Trapp in the hope that she would use it for a few years. She’s a very messy eater... I’d like to avoid using a booster seat.

[Anonymous]

Explain a bit more. Was she crying in her high chair? Did you just move her to the trip trap and she won't stay seated? Did you try buckling her in? Is the trip trap adjusted properly so her feet have a footrest? Mine were willing to use the trip trap for quite a while (until they were 5). If she were over 2, I'd say meal time is over when they get up (regardless of what is eaten). Under two, you may need to stick her back in the high chair. Keep meals very quick. I wouldn't expect her to sit in the high chair (or trip trap) once she is done eating.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Usually she climbs in on her own. She did just that and then realized that she actually wanted to be in my chair. Started crying and tried to climb onto my chair while I was sitting in it. Would fold her legs to prevent us from putting her back in the Tripp Trapp. Long meals are typically not an issue because she doesn’t get snacks during the day and eats a lot at each meals (which take her 20-40 mins depending on how hungry she is). Also, in both instances, the food included things she loves. I tried buckling her in but she would cry hysterically while requesting “mama’s chair” so I did not force her to stay there as she wasn’t going eat anyway.

[Anonymous]

This happened twice?

Yeah, you need to push through the crying. There’s no way you’re going to have every meal with her in your chair. Get yourself okay with a painful dinner or two. She may not eat much. She’ll be fine if she goes to bed with a less than full belly. I promise.

[Anonymous]

We went through a stage where mine went back and forth from a $20 on-the-chair booster and the Stokke. Eventually she went back to the Stokke and is still using it as a 4 foot tall 6 year old. As long as she was sitting, didn’t seem worth fighting over what she was sitting on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Usually she climbs in on her own. She did just that and then realized that she actually wanted to be in my chair. Started crying and tried to climb onto my chair while I was sitting in it. Would fold her legs to prevent us from putting her back in the Tripp Trapp. Long meals are typically not an issue because she doesn’t get snacks during the day and eats a lot at each meals (which take her 20-40 mins depending on how hungry she is). Also, in both instances, the food included things she loves. I tried buckling her in but she would cry hysterically while requesting “mama’s chair” so I did not force her to stay there as she wasn’t going eat anyway.

Is this your only child or are you trying to have a family meal. Don't sit down to eat with her.

[Anonymous]

A friend one told me, wrt to toddlers: "Do as you mean to continue."

So yeah, if my kids wanted to eat, they sat in their chair.

[Anonymous]

That's why we didn't buy expensive high chairs. Its normal. Go to a booster that straps onto the chair and has straps at the legs so they don't fall out.

[Anonymous]

Probably a phase but it could last a while. How much does it mean to you that she sit in the high chair? You could get a chair cover and floor mat for the mess and let her sit in a regular chair.

[Anonymous]

My 3 year old does this every so often at dinner. She likes sitting in my lap or on the chair herself. The compromise is when she is done eating she can come sit with me or solo for the last few minutes / while we are cleaning up. I notice it’s mainly when she is tired and wants a cuddle at dinner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend one told me, wrt to toddlers: "Do as you mean to continue."

So yeah, if my kids wanted to eat, they sat in their chair.

This works if your kid is otherwise a good eater. I had a kid that has always been a light eater and low on the weight charts. She started hating the high chair at around 18 months. We moved her to a booster which helped for a while, but the novelty of that wore off in a few months and she then wanted to sit on me. I often allowed it because it was the only way to get her to eat. She started resisting the booster, so we got rid of it and let her sit directly on the regular chair. She liked to sit on the "grown-up" chair by herself. It was a bit ridiculous because she was so low, but she would just sit on her knees and eat that way. She still sometimes asks to sit on me at meals (at 3 years old). My rule is that she can sit on me after I am done eating.

Overall, if your kid is generally a good eater, I would stick with making them sit on their own, but consider trying a booster or other alternative seating arrangement. Try to figure out why your kid is fighting the high chair. Mine really didn't like being restrained/strapped in, so putting her in a regular chair fixed the problem for us.