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Important findings include:
- At around six months of age, a
child reaches many milestones regarding sitting and eating.
Solid foods are generally introduced at this point, and a
child begins to imitate the social, verbal and motor skills
of others around the table.
- A child is ready for a chair at
around six months when they are able to sit up on their own.
Before then, a child's back and spine have not gained the
strength to support their heavy head.
- Placing a child in a carrier, car
seat, stroller or other sitting device before they are ready
can cause harmful damage to their spine and back. The
optimal place for a developing child is on the floor where
they can strengthen muscles and move about freely.
- Chairs with a large, firm and
adjustable footrest and seat give the child a place to
comfortably shift their weight, using their feet, as well as
to balance themselves and improve reach and motor skills
(e.g. gripping, moving spoon to mouth). This stabilization
and ability to move is critical for comfort and posture.
Seated adults naturally shift their body weight every one to
two minutes using their feet against floor. Children have
the same need, to be seated comfortably.
- A traditional high chair tray
often separates the child from a family and does not
encourage them to participate in valuable social
interactions. Research tells us that the family dinner is an
ideal place for language development and social skills to
evolve.
- Children who eat dinner with
their families develop better eating habits later in life,
including more fruits and vegetables. Frequent family meals
are associated with lower risk of smoking, drug usage and
depression among teens.
- The ability to enter and exit
their chair gives children independence and helps develop a
sense of self.

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