Well I came across this product via a facebook feed and wondered what everyone’s initial thoughts were.
This product is marketed as a portable solution to out and about trips where there is no high chair. The main aim is to secure the child from falling off the chair.
However when I look at it, I think it’s not very suitable as firstly it doesn’t raise the child to table height and secondly it looks more like a tethering system to stop your child from getting up whilst your having dinner.
I would love to know what everyone else thought of this?
Is it something you would use?
Looks like a restraint to me–also I could see it being a possible danger (depending on age of child)-and I agree child would be at a disadvantage as far as height goes,cheers Vickie
I think this could actually be dangerous. If the child struggles to try to get up he could fall and the chair would fall on him. I would not use it. I find it kind of weird…
I have mixed feelings about this. I agree that it’s not the most practical thing, and it does give me a little creepy feeling to see a baby tied to a chair; however, we had a friend bring one to our home back BC (before children) so that she could feed her baby and let him sit with us. She just turned the chair so that it faced her, so no issues with the table height. He felt a part of the meal, instead of plopped in his car seat or squirming on her lap.
The child in this picture is a little old, IMHO. That child could sit in a chair just fine. Our friend’s baby was about 9-12 mos…just the age where he could fall off. Also the age where he couldn’t walk around but wanted to crawl around – okay in my home but not in a restaurant!
I think this is not an ideal solution, but a great portable thing to leave in the car for those times when you have no other choice for a high chair.
We had a diaper kind of thing for the first kid and couldn’t find it for the second kid. It was amazing. We didn’t have to use those messy high chairs that are never clean and the kids get to sit ANYWHERE! As long as it was a chair with a back that the kid wouldn’t fall through, the diaper thing was great and she loved it. It didn’t matter if we were at McDonalds or a nicer restaurant or if we stopped at a hot dog stand that had tables and chairs.
You’re right – they’re only suitable for children who are old enough anyway to sit at a table without being raised up and by that age they’re more than capable of sitting on a chair without falling off – I guess at that stage you’ve figured out whether you’re the kind of parent who finds it necessary to tie a fidgety child to the chair, or one who’s found enough patience to teach them to stay put! 🙂
I have seen these used when there is no highchair available. It would come in handy when visiting grandparents or friends who have no young children. A telephone book can be used to boost a child up high enough to eat at the table.
I would totally use this!! I think it may need to be able to tie in the back rather than the front, though, and it would have some stain-repellent properties.
I see no problem with tying the child in to keep them from getting up during dinner. Sometimes kids just need a little help with impulse-control. Like everything else, some kids it would probably be great for, others, not so much.
I actually sewed something similar for my son when we went on vacation- we were staying at a B&B and they didn’t have a highchair. It worked out well although we had to put a few phonebooks underneath him. We’ve used it a few times since then, mostly at my in-laws house, and again with a pillow or phonebook underneath him. We don’t use it as much as I thought but it comes in handy from time to time.
I’ve got a similar thing to this and have found it really useful on several occassions. I have used it with highchairs that don’t have straps to keep the baby secure (which are very common in Europe) and also on chairs in restaurants. It deosn’t raise the baby but for young babies this doesn’t matter as much as giving them a safe place to eat does. I guess you could keep them sitted in their strollers and feed thm their but some places don’t let you take the strollers in.
However, I have never used it on a child as big as the one in the picture. I doubt any child over about 15months would let you put them in it. With small babies it really is useful for travelling and keeping them safe.
My kids would have just untied it. But it might work for some.
I did have a problem with my kids slipping off of the seats when they sat on big wooden chairs. I always wished for something that you could pull up and secure behind the seat so they wouldn’t slip off. Kind of like the harness from a bouncer or baby swing.
I have something similar to this (nowhere near as cute) and love it! My 19 month old loves it too… he feels much more secure than just sitting on the chair, or in a regular restaurant booster seat, and it allows him to sit in “big chair” like his big brother.
I had one of these twenty years ago. It’s great to keep in your totebag in case of emergency.
Ive used my ring sling to “restrain” my child at a restaurant, thats been out of high chairs — its just not suitable for a one year old who wants to go everywhere to be walking around a busy restaurant, no matter how much he would like. I would use it. Height wise you can get around.
How funny! My MIL used this idea but with just a pillow case on a bar chair (with a back) since we were in her home that didnt have a high chair. It worked great, but I’m not sure I would used that method on a daily basis! This is certainly much cuter than a pillow case though!!!
My Mom had one of these for an old high chair that didn’t have a safety belt. It works moderately well, but MUST be used with an adult nearby. If you tie it tight it keeps the child from falling forward or sideways and slows them down from standing up. Make sure its made of good THICK sturdy fabric though!
My friend has one of these, and her currently 10month old son loves it. I agree that the seating level is lower than table height – but the day I saw them with it we were at a coffee shop which had lounges (where we sat) & we pinched a nearby table’s chair, so the child wasn’t actually at a table as such anyway – and it worked a treat!! So much so I was going to try to copy the design and make my own (but it looks a bit complicated?).
I was given a rudimentary one of these when I had my little boy. It is exactly as you say. It doesn’t raise him up to the table, it just keeps him ‘tied’ to the chair. Let’s just say it isn’t very popular in our house.
I used to do something similar when my son was small if we visited someone who didnt have a highchair. I would take a cloth diaper and tie around his middle just to hold him in the chair. I didnt push it up to the table, though. Just fed him that way.
I wouldn’t use it. Just doesn’t look safe to me.
I would certainly not use it. It just doesn’t seem very functional or practical for that matter.
I have one – my mom got at a craft fair of sorts (although it is not handmade). It’s made of a knit fabric and the ties are in the back. We got it to be used while on family vacation where we never knew if we’d find a high chair (and for places like a hotel where you don’t have access to them). It works great — like other people said mostly for younger kids (ones who either are too little to sit without a high chair (8mos or so) or older but not steady enough to sit by themselves (like a 2yr old who wants out of the high chair but would slide off the chair). My daughter is 20 mos old and it’s alright. It was especially useful when she was just starting to eat solid foods but needed full attention (and about four extra hands) for a person to feed her. Not torturous at all… but I do think the model in the photo is much much too old. Children at that age should know how to sit and eat at a table without restraint.
I think it’s fantastic! I would have totally used this for my children, even though my children learned to stay in their seats at an early age because I didn’t allow them to roam around. One of the most annoying things at a restaurant is to have someone elses child running around or popping up at your table when you are trying to eat. Especially when you have well behaved children. To teach a little restraint is a good thing. I know I won’t be popular saying it, but I’m sure many of you are nodding your heads!
I don’t think much of the version shown, its far too complicated and the bow in front would be a hinderance rather than a help. However the general idea is a good one for a child that just needs a bit of support and there is no high chair available.
The notion of using reins on a child causes uproar though with some people, so I can imagine that this would not be too popular!
In both cases I feel that safety is more important than sentiment!
It looks like something you could use for older children who don’t sit properly at the dinner table as well. I would certainly use it. Children need to know how to sit and stay in their seat at the table, for safety and manners. The children in these photos appear comfortable and safe. This is functional and practical!
I made one of these chair slings when my son was small. (He’s 30 now.) I made it so it tied in the back, and the child could sit in a booster seat to elevate to table height. It was quite handy when we were without a high chair. And it wasn’t ever dangerous. Last week I was in a restaurant in which a mom had put a toddler in a regular adult chair. The mom didn’t pay attention to the little girl, and she squirmed and fell off the chair head first. I would much rather have seen her in one of these slings!