Mum shares a clever hack to make your kids stay in their seats at dinner time – all you need is a candle
A MUM has shared the clever, simple way she ensures her children stay in their seats at dinnertime.
Tessie is a mum-of-three and is always looking for new ideas to help make her family life less stressful and more enjoyable.
She took to Instagram recently to post a Reel explaining one of her favourite hacks, which makes sure her kids don’t leave the table until dinner is over.
Sharing a video of her family at the dinner table, with a candle at the centre, Tessie wrote over the top: “POV: You finally found a way to encourage your kids to stay in their seats until dinner is over and family meals have never been more enjoyable.”
She explained further in the caption, as she wrote: “I know developmentally, I can’t expect my kids to sit happily for 30 minutes and engage in dinner conversation, but dang these kids wouldn’t stay in their seat for more than a minute to run off and play!
“It felt like a battle I was fighting AGAINST my children.
“Me and wanting them to sit VS them and wanting to run around.
“But that’s when parenting gets tricky – when you’re not working together.
“So here’s how we pivoted and chose to work together – we sat down for dinner together, I lit a candle and explained that while the candle is lit, everyone needs to be seated, when dinner is over (keep it to 10 minutes for littles!), count to 3 and blow out the candle as a family.”
The “easy and effective” trick has turned into a “pretty fun dinner tradition” for Tessie’s family.
“It goes perfectly along with the other ways I’ve been trying to simplify the dinner battle, and the kids keep asking if we get to light the candle for dinner again tonight,” she continued.
People in the comments section quickly praised Tessie for sharing her mum hack, with one writing: “Love this idea!”
“Wow this candle idea is so cosy and quiet! I love it!” another added.
“Clever idea. Ready to try it with my grandkids,” a third commented.
As someone else wrote: “It worked for us tonight with my SQUIRMY 2 and 4 yr old boys.
“Thank you!”