Your 1-year-old loves to sit at the table with you. But he also loves to fling her food and shriek. You:
A. Feed him in the kitchen, with a tarp on the floor. Switch off with your spouse so you each get ten minutes to eat.
B. Teach him how to use a fork and remove him from the table if he yells.
C. Feed him first, but then let him join you.
Answer: C
It's never too early to start socializing your baby. And even though you wouldn't expect a younger child to sit still for long, what you want to show him is that eating together can be a (mostly) pleasant experience.
Of course, to keep it more agreeable for the rest of you, take the edge off by giving him dinner first. Then when you're ready to eat, let him sit at the table with a snack so he can watch how the rest of the family interacts at mealtime.
