How to Deal with a Demanding 2 Year Old at Dinner Time

how can she be done in 2 minutes? That's quick.....so my 1st answer would be: slow down her meal. Make sure she is minding her manners, keep her involved in the table discussion. As soon as you see her trigger into "crazy girl", redirect her into her meal. Teach her to respect your meal time.

To begin this process, take the time before each meal to tell her what your expectations are, how you will help her to mind her manners, & what the rewards/consequences are. Promise her a book after dinner.....but don't hang it over her head. Dinner time (& seriously the whole rest of the day) shouldn't be about battling.

I sincerely wish you would watch the "1-2-3" discipline method. It will help you immensely! The whole scenario you are describing means that your daughter is struggling & it's time to change the atmosphere at home. Good Luck!

I'm sorry. I have been there with my now 4.5 year old. I remember well the frustration you are feeling. I can't remember exactly what worked, but I do remember she outgrew it. I think it was around this time that we pushed her high chair up to the table so she could be more involved with us at the table during dinner instead of off to the side in her high chair. I think we also switched her from her high chair to a fisher price booster seat that attached to one of our dining room chairs. I think that was in fact what we did and the novelty helped us get a little more time to eat our food. Maybe one of those ideas will help.

Good luck! It really does get easier as they get older. 2 is a hard age. Believe me, my son just turned 2 and all the memories of my daughter at this age are returning! lol

The other posts are spot on, especially the 1-2-3 Magic suggestion (google it). With screaming, earplugs helped me get through it. Screaming won't last forever.

One caveat:
Whatever you choose to do, make sure that your husband treats her the same way you do. If she senses any inconsistencies between the grownups, she'll "play" you off each other, and you'll be back to square one.

i would just make her stay in her high chair... if she can't do that semi-quietly, i would IMMEDIATELY(without bribing with toys and tv) put her in her crib/bedroom and shut the door. she is old enough to understand that she can sit quietly at the table OR scream in her room. i would tell her when you're carrying her to her room WHY she's going in her room. kids really understand a lot more than we think they do! and maybe to give yourself a "headstart", serve your plates FIRST, then get her food on her highchair tray(actually, why not get a booster so she feels more a part of the family and can join you at the table?), then you all sit down... sounds like she's prob done before you even get a chance to help your plate! good luck! i would def start now though - learning to sit through a meal is one of those things that has to start early if you want it to happen :)

If she's finishing so quickly, I wonder how hungry she was going into the meal. Perhaps her last snack time is too close to supper time. Maybe if you can move it so she does more of her actual eating while you are, you'll all manage to stay at the table a bit longer.
I also think it's probably a good idea to get a sitter every once in awhile so you and your husband can go out and have a grown up kid free meal every so often in peace.

The rule in my house as far as if one of the kids finishes eating before anyone else does that he or she has to sit at the table while we finish eating. They can talk with the rest of us, but they do not get down unless given specific instruction say during Thanksgiving or Hanukkah. The reason for this is because they will get into things they aren't supposed to otherwise and you're right, they can get distracting. Good luck!