My Son Will NOT Sit Through ONE Meal!

A couple of things: make sure he is good and hungry! No snacks between meals or any beverage with sugar in it. Next, and most importantly, MAKE SURE YOU AND YOUR HUSBAND DISCUSS AND AGREE ON THIS PLAN BEFORE YOU IMPLEMENT IT. Get a timer and explain to him hours before the next meal that he will be required to sit at the table for the duration that the timer is ticking (try 10 minutes at first and then increase by 5 minutes every couple of days until you and your husband are satisfied). Help him select a couple of small and quiet toys or books that he can play with quietly at the dinner table. Perhaps you can make or buy a special "dinner time" toy bag that is just to be used at the dinner table and something the two of you put together yourselves. Consider offering him a small treat or reward or privilege that you and your husband have decided on together that he would get after he has sat quietly and politely when the timer rings. Praise him frequently throughout the meal for sitting politely and eating nicely or playing quietly. Be firm with him when he does not. Even if your son does have ADHD, he can be helped to sit quietly and politely at the dinner table. That would be a goal that behavior specialists would have for a child with ADHD. You have no diagnosis, however, and don't need to be concerned with that right now. Please know this: your son is capable of sitting politely throughout the dinner meal and establishing your loving,but firm, discipline and training in this matter will greatly help in school and other issues that will come up. Make sure you and your husband are in agreement with this issue and get his support in backing you up during meal times. Good luck!

My daughter is 12 and still has trouble sitting through a meal. She just has so much energy, but at school she is fine...never a problem with it. She's really not interested in eating so sitting to eat is boring. She doesn't even sit to do homework, but she gets it done. Sometimes she even rollerskates around the house in between for homework breaks. She is full of energy, but she does fine with school and in the classroom.

I don't know if it helps or not, but you are not alone!

J.

OK.. First I want to make it clear, I am NOT trying to sell anything. But I am passing on some info about some products that I just started buying for my household. After doing some research over the last few months, I have learned that some kids behavior can be affected by what is used in the home for cleaning! Like Endust, Lisol, Mr. Clean, Windex. And most of regular cleaning products contain a lof cancer causing agents.
So, I bought some Melaluca products last week. They are completely natural, and antibacterial. Will not harm a child if they decide to lick where you just cleaned with it. (yes, my daughter does that sometimes, yeck!).
And there is a section in the book I got with it, that talks about the effect that can be caused by chemicals, in childern that are considered ADD or ADHD. It said how one mom changed to natural products, and her childs symptom became almost nil.
If you live close by, we could meet, and I could let you read the pages, so you would have a better understanding of what I am talking about. (and also know what to start looking at in searches for more information)
I also had a friend in school who had ADHD severely. The only time he was somewhat calm, was in the morning, because his mom would let him have coffee before school. I ran into him after school, and he seemed completely ok. I asked him what had helped, and he said that when his daughter was born, his wife had switched to natural cleaning aides, and he just started feeling better.
But, after saying all this, it could also be your little man just doesn't like to eat a lot at one time. My youngest who is 2 is like that. She does eat, just not much at one time.
Good luck in finding out which it is! A.

My son is only 2.5 but i am going through the same thing. Its embarrassing sometimes when we are at friends houses and their kids sit at the table and my son won't.
We just started taking his food and putting into the kitchen when he gets up. When he comes back its gone and thats it, no more chances. The first time he threw a fit and each time he is sitting longer and longer. Now when he wants to get up he has to ask to be excused and that seems to keep him there longer. I don't mind if he is done to leave the table i just hated that he went back and forth!
There are still times where i forget to move his plate of food and he will come back to get more bites.
I will not punish him as such as time out or sorts but i think taking the food away saying you were finished if you leave the table is enough discipline. I don't think your son has ADHD or ADD, but if you are concerned follow up with your pediatrician. He is a boy, boy's have TONS of energy and some more than others!
Good luck and let me know if you have any more questions.
A.

Dont stress he will...................patience

Hello P. M,

To find out for sure if your son has ADHD, take him to see a doctor to be evaluated. That way know for sure.

if he has always been able to get up and run around then he doesnt see anything wrong with it because that is the norm for him. as for the adhd thing yes that could be a possiblity but i would worry about that until he is in school and you feel the need to get him tested. teachers push that because they dont want to have to deal with a child that gets bored. what i would do with the dinner issue is tell him that when he gets up then he is done with dinner and that he gets no more once he leaves the table. hopefully in time he will sit and eat his dinner before he gets up to play. i hope this is helpful to you.