Hi guys...
My friend has a 13 month old w/eating issues. He HAD GERD but has outgrown it it seems so that is not the issue at hand.
I think the problem is she never buckled him in the highchair and recently (the past few months) he's starting twisting around and standing up in the high chair...when he does that she immediately takes him out. She wants him to know that if he stands up he has to get out. The problem with that is, he doesnt eat much at all before he wants out. She then worries that he didn't get enough to eat and lets him "snack" while walking around which she thinks is making the issue worse.
Her neighbor told her that she should buckle him in his chair and basically (in other words) let him CIO until he eats. I really dont know WHAT to tell her so suggestions would be great!

Oh geesh, I don't know either. I'd say to buckle him in and see what he does. I've never buckled Lauren in either b/c there's no way for her to fall out unless she stands up and she hasn't tried that yet. I usually have the tray pushed in too far and it would be nearly impossible for her to stand up.

What kind of food is she letting him snack on? I'd rather see him get a good mean into him rather than snacking, but if that's the only way she can get him to eat... I know, how about trying a booster seat and strapping him in it?

Well...i just told her I asked you guys for suggestions and she basically said that she didn't need suggestions. I thought she wanted suggestions because she told me what her neighbor said. I guess her neighbor just offered the suggestions w/out her asking. I guess she's fine doing it the way she is now.
She replied to my email with this:

I can see that Calvin needs a little more discipline and self discipline too. I think he finishes eating most of the time. Or maybe he's not. I think we should just get him out and let him go and wait till next snack for more. I really break this at bedtime though when he's not eating well cuz I don't want him to go to bed hungry. I will try another round of working on supper. Sometimes it seems he has stomach issues, takes a poop after a bunch of crabbiness in the chair and then running around, and maybe that was what was ailing him. I dunno. These babies are an abyss of questions/concerns.

*(kinda bounces all over the place in her emails but I'm use to it ;) )

Sara,

Your friend is being exceptionally irresponsbile compromising her son's safety this way. I've never buckled Catherine in either, but the tray is pushed in all the way against her stomach. She can twist around some but no way can she stand up in her high chair. Does she also let the child stand up in the back of a shopping cart so he can fall out on his head?

Sorry ...this really hacks me off for some reason.

Tell me how you really feel, Lesley ;) LOL!
I agree...Zac is always buckled in, even WITH the tray pushed in. THey were just over for lunch and he did the same thing in his booster chair...he sure has a STRONG temper.
I guess maybe for me its so shocking because Zac is extremely laid back. He sat there and stared at him like "what on earth are you doing?!" while he continued to pick at his food in amazement :shock:

I don't buckle Cady in (well, because I threw the stupid thing away), either, but her highchair is NOT easy to get out of. I always push the tray way in and she just can't lift her knees up. She has tried, though. Structured mealtimes are best. I've been doing the same routine with Cady since she was 4 months old. She looks forward to mealtime. I don't have much advice for your friend, not that she wants it anyway. I'd probably say that all food needs to be taken in the highchair. No snacks on the run. That would put him in his place. The kid won't starve if he misses a few meals. She's not doing the best thing by letting him down then giving him bits and pieces to eat all over the house. It's teaching him to only eat on the run, instead of in a structured "this is how it's done in polite society" way.

Exactly...and the funny thing is, those words have come out of her own mouth so I dont get it. :dontknow:
She (and I) really does have a structured routine, mealtime is always the same time every day in the same place...I guess her little guy is just completely different from mine so its hard for me to understand.

I hate it when people ask for suggestions and then when you give them won't even try them!

He will get used to this real quick, and there will be no going back to the hi-chair. He will probably need a booster seat, if she isn't as firm with that he will continue to walk around with food cause it will be the only place he will eat.

I always put the straps on, in the past I have put him in without them and once my husband took off the tray like we do, take it too the kitchen and this was one of the times he wasn't strapped in and came back to find him face down on the floor- I saw him fall and I was too far away, it wasn't pretty. We always use the straps now!