Instead of always asking our baby to join us for meals at an adult-sized table, when we’re feeling up for it we eat dinner all together at the kid-sized table. My husband and I sit on the floor or a pouf and our babe sits in his Montessori cube chair.

I splurged on this beautiful table and chair set that we’re planning to continue to use as a coffee table after our kid outgrows it. The cube chair makes a great first chair as it provides ample support and is practically untippable. Out babe started using it at six months. It took him a few months to learn how to not slip forward, but now at 10 months he sits in it very competently.

Benefits of eating at a child-sized table include:

• Walkers can get into and out of their chairs without assistance
• Toddlers can help set and clear the table
• Parents don’t have to worry about their young children trying to climb into and out of high chairs
• Children can get to the bathroom independently
• Families can begin to establish behavioral expectations for the table early
• Children build independence and confidence as a competent and respected member of the family