Hate my Tripp Trapps - FP Boosters Instead?

[hhd3]

We have grown to dislike our Tripp Trapp high chairs for our 14 month old twins. Several reasons:

1. Our girls can kick themselves away from the table, they have never tipped over but this is a safety concern.
2. We just can't get the straps adjusted correctly so I feel like they aren't totally secure. I realize this should be an easy fix but we have tried and failed.
3. The foot stool portion of one of the chairs won't stay put. Another safety issue as they like to play around the chairs and I am envisioning it crashing down on someone.
4. They eat "trough style" directly from the table. As such, my wooden kitchen table and floors are trashed. I am thinking we really need something with a tray. I realize my floors are probably a lost cause.

So with all that griping out of the way should I just buy the Fisher Price Booster seats? My husband would love for me to sell our TT's on Craigslist but there are several listed and we would really lose out $$. On the other hand, we have no place to store them until they are a little bigger. Suck it up and figure out a way to make them work or replace them with FP boosters? I definitely don't want another bulky high chair.

[vludmilla]

You've probably tried these things already but as someone who loves our TT, I so want to find a solution for you :)... a "splat" mat under the TT's on the floor and on the table. As for the foot stool...is it possible that some adjustment needs to be made? Ours seems pretty secure and tight.

[Neatfreak]

Yes, I was going to suggest that the footrest problem would probably be fixed by tightening the screws again. I'm not sure what you mean by "trough" style, but I use placements with DD2's Tripp Trapp.

I think that the only thing that you'd gain with FP boosters (which I love, too, btw) is a small tray. It still would be open season on the floor, and if the boosters are pulled up to the table, they would still be able to to kick themselves away (and IME, a chair+booster is tippier than the TT).

Do your daughters really need to be strapped in a 14 months? I think that is about when I took the harness competely off the TT as my kid was playing with the buckle instead of eating her lunch :) The FP booster only offer a 3-pt harness (versus the TT's 5-pt), unless they've updated the seat a lot since I bought ours.

[Melaine]

Don't get rid of them! We bought ours when my twin girls were 2 and they have been worth every penny. Keeping them strapped in even at almost 4 has been a sanity-saver for me.
I agree that the footrest should not be loose, I can't imagine how that is possible if it is in good working order.

[WatchingThemGrow]

We really like the Tiny Diner placemats. The FP booster trays bother me b/c they are kinda small. Grab some Bjorn bowl and spoon sets for those girls. Our 15mo is loving using his. He's still in the Prima Pappa Diner, though, with a 5pt harness. Our nearly 3yo is harnessed in a Stokke chair as well. The 4.5 yo is not harnessed, but happily using her Stokke as well.

[hhd3]

I'm a little worried the one with the loose foot stool may be faulty. When we first assembled them one of the back pieces came with a hole drilled upside down which meant we couldn't strap them in correctly. We had a bunch of back & forth w Stokke and they sent us a new piece. Long story but I am now wondering if that whole chair is questionable.

I have not tried a mat under the table, I was afraid this may increase the likelihood of tipping. I have tried the suctioned cup Kiddopotamus Tiny Diner placemats on the table but they rip them right off.

They definitely still need to be strapped in as they are pretty wiggly and still don't have strong depth perception.

I really hate to get rid of them and am afraid I'll be sorry if I do. Maybe I can get someone else to look at the loose footrest as DH is over it. In the meantime, another set of placemats (perhaps the Piggie Platter?) and a floormat might be in order.

I feel like these things are supposed to be so easy and idiot-free but we are struggling with these things!

[Momof3Labs]

They might drive you crazy at 14 months, but by 18-20 months, you'll probably love them. We loved them with our boys by that age! Can you take them completely apart so that they store flat, and use strap-on boosters for the next 6 months?

[wallawala]

Have you considered adding the tray?

(Because I'm sure you're just dying to spend more $$$, but...)

http://www.amazon.com/Stokke-PT01-Tripp-Trapp-PlayTray/dp/B002DR0M92

It would move them away from the table so no kicking backwards. Might trap more food than pushed up to table with the Tiny Diner mat (which has a small catch tray).

We have the tiny diner placemat and a splat mat underneath. Still some food manages to sneak on the floor... Although I am relatively happy with our set up, I still dream about buying the tray...:)

[maylips]

We did the opposite and used the FP booster seat until about 18 months with DD when she seemed to get too big for it, then got a Tripp Trapp.

I still love our booster seat (DS is in it now) but I can tell you that the chair we strap it to is trashed. Unless I take the seat off every day, which I don't, food gets trapped under the seat and in some places on the chair and it's now as trashed as your table and floor probably are. So keep that in mind. It's also harder to clean than a Tripp Trapp (but still easier than most high chairs)

FWIW, at 18 months DD almost still seemed too young for her TT and I was regretting the decision, but then she sort of grew into it and it's still going strong at 3 1/2. I know you probably bought them based on the raves on this board and it took me a long time to come around to it as well, but now I love it. You may just want to give them some time.

[doberbrat]

my friend has a vinyl table cloth on her table which she secured to the table via vice grips. a little extreme but it does keep the table cloth on the table. At the end of each meal, she just wipes down the tablecloth. When it gets gross, she just replaces it.

[essnce629]

We did the opposite and used the FP booster seat until about 18 months with DD when she seemed to get too big for it, then got a Tripp Trapp.


We did the same thing. DS1 used the FP booster till he was three and then we got him the HippoSmile chair that is pretty much identical to the Tripp Trapp. DS1 is now 7 and still uses his HippoSmile chair at the table every day. DS2 is 16 months and has been using the FP booster since he was 6 months. I couldn't imagine him being in the HippoSmile/Tripp Trapp at this age-- I just think he wouldn't sit still and would be making an even bigger mess than he already does! I'll probably keep DS2 in the FP booster till he's two and has stopped throwing food on the floor, then I'll look into getting him a Tripp Trapp (I don't think the HippoSmile chairs are around any more).

[hhd3]

Thanks for all of the advice. I think we will definitely keep them, it would be a shame to give up on them this early.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I just read where you said they ripped off the Tiny Diners. Be firm about it and eventually they will stop. Ours did, but again, they were older than 14m.

Another thing to consider is the Bjorn bib. Do you have those? they catch a LOT of debris, plus my DC know to reach in to get more food they missed. Since they can be scrubbed/dry quickly, can be hung on a 3M hook, we find them REALLY handy.

[Dr C]

Definitely don't get rid of them. We didn't even get a TT until DS was 2 but at that point we loved it. And never really bothered with the straps. I plan to keep DD in her high chair for several more months (she is 11 months) before transitioning to the TT?

Have you considered having them sit at a tiny kid sized table? Maybe a picnic style table where they can't scoot back? This tactic pretty much embraces the toddler tendancy to get up and graze. Just another idea that might be cheaper than buying two healthy care boosters.

What did you do with them before the TT's? Or have they always been in them?

[ncat]

We love our Tripp Trapp - DD used it from 4 until a week or so ago, when she finally relinquished it to DS. I wish I had bought it earlier!

DS at 22 months is just starting to do OK, but not great, at eating messy foods without a tray, so your twins may be young.