Starting at age 3, it's reasonable to expect table manners from your child.
If your meals are more about commotion than connection, it’s time to change the way your family eats. Here’s how to improve your child’s table manners and make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone.
Stay Seated at the Table
By age three children should be able to sit for small amounts of time at the table, but it’s unrealistic to expect lingering family meals until around age five.
“Don’t bring your child to the table until everything is served and ready,” says Elizabeth Pantley, author of The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution. Once seated, keep your child engaged with questions about his day. If he finishes eating before the rest of the family, encourage him to say thank you for the meal and then excuse himself.
Don’t push things at first. If mealtime is pleasant, your child will soon want to stay for longer.
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