Eating at the table....what do you do?

[cchavez]

Diego (20 months) has just started eating at the table using a booster seat. We want him to eat using the table but not directly off the table. I have used the Tiny Diner but I am not crazy about it. What do you guys use?
This looks interesting but I don't know if I can attach it to the booster.

http://www.classy-kid.com/baby.html

any ideas? suggestions? tia!

[Kimberly H]

We started Mia eating at the table in her booster about the same age as Diego. She used the laminated paper Sesame Street placemats you get at Wal*Mart for $1 or so and did great. We also bought her cheap plastic plates, bowls and cups there. The cups we waited on for a bit but we like them because they're not tapered at the bottom like so many are.

Now Mia likes to sit on the back of her booster seat with her feet tucked in the straps going around the chair. We say she's practicing for Cirque du Soleil. ;)

Good luck - it's so fun!

[kijip]

We give Toby a plate or bowl (whichever is best for the food) when he sits in his high chair or at the table. You can use a plastic plate but we just give him a regular plate. He learned in 1 go that tossing the plate means that meal time ends so he leaves his plate unturned. He really likes to do just what we are doing and use what we are using. I either put a sheet under him for dropped food or I vaccum right after the meal!

[papal]

What Katie said!
Regular plates.. if she starts to toss it, then meal time is over. We just have Corolle plates right now so I don't mind if they are broken!
And I cut up an old sheet to form several drop clothes for under her chair. We just use the hook-on chair as a high-chair, so this works well for us.

[zuzu]

We use a hard plastic placemat from Ikea that isn't very pretty but it stays in place on our wood table and has enough of a lip to prevent accidental sliding of plates and bowls off the table. (I tried to get a link to it, but the site is down--will try to remember to add it later.) We also use a splat mat under Sarah's chair to make clean up easier.

Melissa, mom to Sarah (5/03)


*ETA--It's no longer on their site.

[Jen841]

Before the move we used the hook on chair with a plastic placemat under it. For some unknown reason, he wants his highchair again so we are back to that routine. The hook on chair won't work at the new table, so we will need to find another way to protect the NEW table.

[alkagift]

I needed something durable so I bought a hard placemat with a cork backing at Target (some sort of Waverly pattern) and it works fine left on the table and I put his bowl right on top of it. We use the suction bowls from Target too (argh, can't think of the name...)

Allison
Mommy to Matthew Clayton, 5/19/03

[mesalic]

Hi everyone! I'm a representative of Classy Kid, the maker of the Table Bib that Ms. Chavez referenced at that website. I'm not going to make a sales pitch, don't worry!

There are obviously several solutions to the challenges of feeding a baby and there are several products that can make dining out more enjoyable for everyone. All have their plusses and minuses. For example our own Table Bib is designed (mom designed, by the way) to be used out in a restaurant with a standard wooden high chair. It doesn't work with a booster seat (although a disposable version we have coming soon will). No products that I know of are designed to work specifically with a booster unfortunately. Your best bet is to wipe down a booster in a restaurant before using it. You can find more information comparing the commonly-used solutions for dining out at: www.Classy-Kid.com/comparison.html

As for home use, you can buy an activity/play mat from makers such as BebeSounds to put on your table. You can stick disposable placemats down (but don't leave them in place more than 24 hours if you like your table). You can use the cantilever seats that hang off the table, but as an ex mechanical engineer I would personally never put my daughters in one. You can use one of our Reusable Table Bibs and just fold the arms under or let them hang off the table. Or you can wing it and take what comes, which is a valid solution with some kids depending on temperament and other factors.

At Classy Kid, we've been thinking of introducing a product for the home that is basically a big bib that also wraps around the high chair tray. That way nothing gets in baby's lap. Here's your chance to steer our product development and get products that you actually want on the shelves. Tell me what you think!

I hope that helps. Thanks and happy feeding time!
A.J. Mesalic
Classy Kid, Inc.
Summerlin, NV, USA
(800) 406-5010







>Diego (20 months) has just started eating at the table using
>a booster seat. We want him to eat using the table but not
>directly off the table. I have used the Tiny Diner but I am
>not crazy about it. What do you guys use?
>This looks interesting but I don't know if I can attach it to
>the booster.
>
>http://www.classy-kid.com/baby.html
>
>any ideas? suggestions? tia!

[alaible]

I don't think the item you mentioned would attach to tye type of booster we have. The sides on ours is solid so I don't think it would attach. I tried the Tiny Diner but DD didn't like it and the suction cups never stayed suctioned. So I just got a kiddie place mat from walmart for $0.96. They had several to choose from and I got 2 of the sesame street ones. They are laminated and reversible and wipe clean very easily. They however do not have the little cup that keeps spills out of the childs lap. To keep DD's lap clean we just got one of those big/long bibs with sleeves and a pocket at the bottom and that covers her chest as well as her legs.

[Kimberly H]

Those are the same ones we have! Does your DD like to flip the placemat over midway through her meal? Mia does and finally learned how to move all of her dishes and utensils, flip the placemat over, and arrange everything just *so* herself.

[netne]

A friend of ours has a plastic placemat with a trough that she puts on the table for her DD. I think she got it at Target. We haven't bought one because our table is oval-shaped and it wouldn't work with rounded edges. I keep wishing we had a rectangular table!

[dules]

Hi A.J.

I was just looking at your website; we have that middle-sized plastic thingie with a lip on your homepage. I have just one question about the one you sell - how does it stay on the table? My 13 month old would definitely just haul it into her lap if it's not connected in some way. (I looked around your site but didn't see an explanation of this). If it does stick somehow, I'll definitely buy one.

Second, as far as product development goes, maybe it's just me but I get claustrophobic thinking about a bib that would cover my baby and her high chair. Think barber's smock gone wrong, lol.

Thanks again for the info, and I don't think your post was inappropriate (even though you may have converted me...I was already interested from the original post).

Best,
Mary

[mesalic]

Mary,
Thanks for the question. We secure the Reusable Table Bib in three ways. It attaches with velcro-style tabs to the side and front bar of the high chair, it has a non-slip rubber backing that resembles that tacky shelf liner material, and it is big enough that the edge is out of baby's reach. We are always asked this and then always hear back from surprised parents who say it really does stay in place in spite of their little Houdini!

Our disposable version (coming soon) will use adhesive strips to keep it in place, along with the other two methods of staying put.

As for concerns about suffocation, I hear you. The Table Bib is secured firmly to the high chair, plus baby is never out of sight when you're dining out, right? We're featured in February's issue of Parenting (pp.87) and you can order your own Table Bib at www.classy-kid.com. We guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Happy dining!

A.J. Mesalic
Classy Kid, Inc.