Montessori Mondays - Where Toddlers Eat

One of the biggest part of a growing toddler's day is food including what, where, and how he or she eats. All toddlers are different in their preferences and will likely have favorite foods. Toddlers will often have days when they will love one food and then not want to touch it the next. Just like any other activity, though, it is our roll as parents or caregivers to guide them towards being as independent during their eating times. A key factor in guiding your toddler towards self care is creating a consistent place for them to eat with some basic rules around it. I love the idea of having a child sized table and chair in the home for your toddler, but this can be tough for parents who also want to begin the routine of having a family meal every night and not sit in tiny chairs after a long day of work. I also like having a low coffee table serve as a meal table during the first couple of years so that your child gets the feel of a family table and sitting on the floor or on some beautiful cushions is often more appealing to families than little chairs. High chairs allow toddlers to join you at a regular table, but be sure that once meal time is over you don't leave them in the chair for long periods of time. You want to use high chairs to help your child feel included not restricted or restrained. Next week, we will talk about setting up the eating area for toddlers. Have a great Valentine's day!