At 8 months old, babies are beginning to join their parents and siblings in many new activities, including family dinners. As your baby heads into the toddler years, arrange the family’s schedule so that your baby can eat his dinner with everyone else. A growing baby learns about conversation at the dinner table, and soon begins to join in.

Your baby develops rich language skills when he shares in family dinnertime chats. He watches and copies how food is served, shared and eaten. He may see the food that everyone else is eating and want to try a bite of something new.

His relationships within the family deepen, as dinnertime may be the only time in the day when the whole family comes together.

When mealtime is as much about spending time with each other as it is about the food, eating is less likely to become a behavior issue. In this setting, eating a healthy range of foods in the right amounts usually happens naturally. 

Disclaimer: This page is not intended to provide medical advice about your child. Always seek the advice of a physician, qualified healthcare provider or child-development specialist with any questions you have about your child's health, medical condition or development. Never disregard, avoid or delay contacting a doctor or other qualified professional because of something you read here.