I have a question...

[gemma (jakes_mummy)]

My DS is 11mths now and I keep thinking he should be eating his tea with the family soon, if not now.

At the moment he has his tea at 5pm during the weekends (at nursery during the week he has his tea at 3.15pm - think its a little earlier for a nealry 1 yr old)

What time does you lo eat his tea? Do you eat together as a family?

Just pondering...

[mcruari]

I think the sooner they become 'social' at the table the better But then my DD who is almost 6yrs eats dinner by herself or with her brother during the week as our eating times are very late!
It really depends on where you live - tea/dinner/supper in the UK/US is much earlier than in the rest of Europe for example. My DS who is 10mths has his dinner between 6/6.30pm which for Italian standards is really early but for UK/US that is usually bedtime. I think it just has to fit in with your family lifestyle and just make sure they are not going to bed on a full stomach or an empty one!
HTH

[Crispy Chick]

Hi

I'm in the UK and i started weaning at 5 1/2 months - as soon as i put my babe onto tea i gave it between 5 and 5.30pm with the hope that we will all eat together about 5.30ish when he is eating what we are.  He is 7 months at the moment and still eats on his own, but i will move him on to family food soon and we will start to eat earlier so we can eat with him (well, that is the plan, but am not sure how early my husband will get home for tea!!!)

[Shiv52]

We try to eat dinner as a family at least a couple of nights during the week and the weekend even if our LO isn't eating the same as us. We have dinner about 6.30pm and it works out great for us.  Sometimes if we eat a bit later and the baby has eaten she still sits up with us and has some fruit or a snack just so she's included.  She loves looking all around and trying our food. 

[gemma (jakes_mummy)]

Thanks for your replies, its really useful.

Shiv52 - our lo's are almost the same age, if you give your lo tea at 6.30pm what time does she go to bed?

I'll try pushing tea to 5.30pm at the weekends as it would be nice for DS to be more social and eat with us. Normally he's in bed when we're having tea as DH and I don't get home from work until 6pm.

[Shiv52]

Only a few weeks between them!    Its a nice age isn't it? 

She goes to bed at 8.30. DH isn't home from work until 6.15pm so we keep her up so he can see her and have some time with her.  Our schedule runs 8.30-8.30.  Although we're lucky I am still on maternity leave so we can do this schedule (nice at the weekends!!).  If you work am sure you have to have an earlier bedtime!  I wouldn't worry too much about whether or not your LO is eating your actual meals with you.  My LO has lunch before me and I have a cuppa and a biscuit and sit with her so it feels more like a 'meal time' and then I have my lunch when she goes for her nap so I can eat in peace!!