Getting a 3 Yo to Sit and Eat

When he says he's not hungry, tell him "that's ok, but if you get down from the table, dinner is over. No more food or snacks for the rest of the night". (Clear the food immediately). He'll probably say ok and jump down and attempt the same thing. This is where the "routine" changes. When he comes back, stay calm and tell him that dinner is over. Say it once and if there is a tantrum IGNORE IT and proceed with dinner. If he continues and disrupts the rest of the family, put him in his room and say that he cannot be with the family when he's behaving that way.

He may go to bed hungry for a night, but have a good breakfast for him. He needs to experience the new cause and effect, so you MUST follow through. When you don't, you are vulnerable to manipulation.

Say what you mean, mean what you say.

Say it once.

It will be hard, but I doubt this will repeat itself as often as his behavior now. The key is to stay calm and not negotiate. Being consistent is the only fair way to enforce this. If a child is told in advance what the consequence is and then experiences that, that is reality discipline. It's not cruel or unreasonably harsh. It IS unfair and unrealistic for a child to grow up thinking the world revolves around him.

Good luck - keep us posted!

stop letting him act that way, stop letting him get up. make him sit in a highchair. if he leaves the table saying he is full after only a few bites then that is it for the night. why are you letting him be the boss??????? DISCIPLINE YOUR CHILD!!! it is not mean, harmful or awul to discipline your children, to give them rules and boundaries and beahvior expectations. He is playing you, kids learn very very early how to get what they want, that is just how all kids are. Dont let him manipulate you. Sit him down, tell him this is dinner time, if you get up without eating then you dont get anything else the rest of the night. and stick to it, dont give up just becaue he throws a fit. and if he throws a fit send him to his room or a place with no toys and make him stay until he calms down.

Definately try less snacks as suggested. I'd also cut down on milk. I swear for so many people I know who had "pickey" eaters or not so hungry eaters, cutting the milk back a bit really helped their kids to eat real food. Milk is so filling, there just might not be enough room in there. My daughter really wasn't much of a milk drinker past maybe 3 or 4 and I have to say she's always had a pretty healthy appetite.

No getting down from the table until everyone is done, and no tantrums ever. Consequence after one warning every time. Warn and act the moment the tantrum is about to start so he learns not to follow through. He'll sop.

My boy, who is almost 3, sits at the table until my husband and I are done. We do bring a couple small toys of his choice for him to play with if he doesn't want to eat. Often he takes a few bites, says he doesn't want to eat, and pushes his plate away. However, after a couple of minutes he realizes he isn't going to get down so he eats more. Once we are finished, I ask him if he wants anymore. Once we clear the table, dinner is over. We've had a tantrum or two, but now he eats when dinner is served.

because my daughter's not gaining enough we have to give her milk at the end of the meal so she doesn't fill up on milk. Maybe as someone else suggested he's feeling full from the milk? I would think a few nights of taking away his plate then no snacks rest of night would cure him..but he is 3! Good luck!!

The only thing I can think of is, less snacks throughout the day, and being firm with him on the fact that if you get down then dinner is all done and you move onto other things whatever it may be. If he throws a fit, try your best to continue what you are doing but dont give in to his tantrum or he will keep it up. Try a few days of his craziness and then he will learn that you arent playing a game.

Even if he is done, make him sit with the family ( or even just you) while you eat. 20 minutes minimum. He is old enough to do this and it is good manners. And it solves the problem, as he will probably eat more.

When he is done, have him clear his own plate and store or trash the leftovers. He wants to control YOU - if he does it himself, he won't be able to make you do a dance for him.

Don't allow food after he leaves the table if tha tis a clear rule with him. One or two tantrums and he should stop as long as you stay firm.

My daughter is 37 months old and this is what we do.

Do you have a booster seat? Buckle him in an tell him he can't leave the table until everyone is finished eating. My kids are 6, 4 an 2 and no one leaves the table until we are all finished.

Actually, I would still do just what you did - if he freaks out and wets himself, too bad. You are letting him have too much control over the situation and you need to take charge. I would let him know from now on, at the beginning, that when you are serving dinner, that is when you expect him to eat. It is the only chance he gets. If he doesn't start eating within 5 minutes, or he takes his few bites and decides he is done, then he is DONE. Let him know, since he is choosing to get down, he is choosing not to have any more dinner the rest of the night. If you don't give in, he will realize that his little "performance" is getting him nowhere. And if he is going to carry on for that long, he can do it in his room - then it's up to him to come out when he decides to calm down.

In our house, dinner is family time. My daughter (3.5) sits down to eat and if she starts playing or trying to lay down (we have benches), I explain to her that she can get down if she's done eating. If she hasn't eaten most of her meal, I save the plate and when she tells me she's hungry later, she gets that instead of a snack. That rarely happens though. We also say grace before dinner (she often likes to do this so maybe you could have your son do this) and enlist her help to set the table. She is expected to put her plate on the counter by the sink when she is done.

Tis' the age!

Boys are very active.

Or, let him eat at a kid sized table. Kid height.
With a kid chair.
That is what we did at some point.
And my friends, too.