Does your child have a difficult time sitting down for a family meal? Does he squirm in his seat? Does she seem to want to always get up and eat somewhere else? This article will include some tips on helping your son or daughter sit down for a family meal!
The first step is to determine what your child is doing before sitting down for a meal. Perhaps she was watching television or he was playing trucks with his brother. Your child may need a 5 minute warning. Try using a timer so that your child truly understands what “5 minutes” actually means. In addition, your child may need to have some time or space to move around before a meal. This will help to provide the sensory input your child may be craving before he is expected to maintain his attention. You may want to consider planning a walk, playing “Ring Around the Rosy”, or jumping jacks before a meal.
If your child seems like she has too much space during mealtime, you may want to find a chair with arms for her to sit in. This will provide her with boundaries. Also, you could attempt alternative seating, such as sitting on a large exercise ball or putting an inner tube on the chair. These suggestions will allow your child to slightly move during the meal, but not allow him to distract the rest of the family.
The setting of the meal environment may be too over stimulating for your child. You may want to play soft calming music during your meal to calm the children. Also, you may need to adjust the lighting or close the drapes or blinds to allow for a dimmed, calming affect. The kitchen table may also be too visually over stimulating for your child. Sometimes, when something looks really overwhelming it can cause stress. Try to remove unnecessary objects from the table (such as aluminum foil or wrappers). Provide placemats with visual cues of where to put utensils, dishes, cups, and napkins. For example, find a piece of material that can be easily washed off, and draw the shapes of each mealtime piece on the material.
After discovering the most appropriate mealtime tip for your son and daughter, you will soon enjoy eating a meal with your family!
