Lynda Loveland: Mealtime manners (or the lack thereof)

It is such a delight when I make a meal the kids actually eat and eat well. I try to throw different things in there to mix it up a bit and make it healthy. Sometimes it works, sometimes, not so much.

 But that’s only half the battle.

The other half is trying to keep their backsides in their chair, their chomping mouths shut and the bodily noises under wraps!

It is a constant battle to keep them from getting up. They get up for any number of reasons: bathroom breaks, look at this, gotta get that, you name it! They even position themselves in the chair like they’re ready to spring up at a moments notice, ready for action. I sound like a broken record, “sit down and put your legs under the table!”

My oldest chews with her mouth open. Not all the time. But enough to drive me crazy! What could be more relaxing than a child smacking their lips during dinner? She also hunches over when she eats. I tell her so often to sit up straight that from an onlooker standpoint, she probably looks like she’s doing some sort of strange core exercises! It’s like that cat/cow stretch, but sideways.

I’ve tried the usual suspects: reward charts, time outs and stuff taken away. We discuss before dinner how we’re supposed to act. I’m reluctant to send them from the table without dinner because my kids are pretty darn skinny. They really don’t need to miss a meal. But would that really solve the problem? I dunno. I just get so frustrated by the end of dinner! I could give the wicked witch of the west a run for her money!