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Table manners: How can I make sure my toddler grows up with them?

Technically speaking, your baby should start to learn table manners as soon as he or she is eating solid food. Before he or she even graduates to the big people table, you should be instilling table manners while your toddler eats in the high chair.

You’ll want to ensure that your child is not hungry before meals. Babies and toddlers are notoriously grumpy when they are tired, and it can make mealtimes a problem.
You also want to ensure that your child is hungry when meal times come around – that means restricting snacks for an hour before meals. You may even find that not giving your child a bottle or a cup of juice or water helps to make sure that he or she is hungry enough to eat, and not play with his or her food.

Another important piece of table etiquette you want your baby to learn is not to talk with their mouths full. Not only is it impolite, but it’s also a health risk – children can easily choke when they are distracted.

Avoid paying bad behaviour like food flinging any attention – that will only reinforce the bad behaviour at the table. Rather ignore it, or give your child a time out if he or she is old enough to understand what time outs mean.

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