Maximus never had a highchair at home. We bought a space saver chair that sits on a chair. He sat away from the table and ate off of the tray until last month. We realized that he was sitting AT the table at daycare instead of in a highchair. The tray was making him mad, so we took it off and pushed him up to the table. {I say we because I spouted off the direction from my spot on the couch. “No more tray. Push him up to the table.”} He hadn’t been close to the table because his little legs love to push off of the table. As with all other parenting decisions, we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. He adjusted very well to his new situation. Getting in his chair wasn’t an issue anymore and he loved being treated like a big boy. Every once in a while he rocks back and forth when he’s upset and it’s a little scary. It’s a little difficult to explain to a one-year old that he shouldn’t do something because it’s “scary” or he could get hurt. Thankfully it doesn’t move the chair around, just his chair.
Yesterday, he was eating a snack at the table. He was being good, despite the turmoil that walked into our house 20 minutes earlier. All of a sudden the chair hit the floor. Like fell straight backwards. Without making noise, he had moved his legs up and pushed off of the table. The result was his chair flying backwards. Bless my husband’s quick reaction. He shot up from the chair and got him out of the chair before Maximus had moved beyond the silent cry. It was one of the scariest sounds and moments in our lives. Somehow, my child doesn’t even have a bump. Neither of us understands it at all. From the height when he’s in the chair, his head should have hit the chair or the tile floor. I guess he must have leaned forward the whole time. So! Now we have to figure out how to feed him without this happening again. Bryan hovered next to him while he ate supper. It makes it a little difficult to do any multi-tasking of preparing meals and serving.
What do you do to make sure your child doesn’t tip over?
This was Attia yesterday. Oh my Lord. We switched her from the super tall chair that her booster seat was on, to one of the normal kitchen chairs. And she rocked. And rocked. And rocked. And rocked. I finally just took her out of it because I was afraid she was going to tip it over. So I’ll be waiting for some other suggestions!
It gives you a heart attack! Every time I hear that chair move I stop breathing. Ugh.
My husband’s solution is bungie cords. Honest to goodness. Maximus is secured to both sides of the table. He’s not going anywhere!