My boys are 4, 8 and 11yo. When we sit down for a family dinner,
we don't currently force the 4yo to join us. We sometimes give him
something to eat earlier if he's hungry, but more often that not
he basically skips dinner, or eats only a few bites. He's very tiny,
but completely healthy. But he really doesn't eat much, especially
at dinnertime.

My question is not about feeding him, as we have worked out a plan
with his pediatrician where he is healthy and growing, albeit slowly.

My question is, if your young child is done eating his dinner before
the rest of the family, do you expect him to stay at the table with
you? We usually let him go off to play or watch a video. And frankly,
we prefer to do that because it makes mealtimes much more relaxed for
the rest of us. We do make our older children stay at the table for
a reasonable amount of time, and I think we started with them before
they were 4yo. But this one just doesn't seem "inclined" to sit still
for a while at that time of day. (He eats lunch with his group at
preschool, so he does get "experience" with group mealtime behavior.)

Any thoughts?

--Robyn
..