This is a tricky one. I think it's important for them to sit while eating - it gets them used to meals as family occassions and is something they have to be able to do at kindy and school so it's easiest to get them used to it early. I found though that the boys preferred to be at the table rather than in a high chair. Initially we used the Phil & Ted's Me too seat which attaches to the table so they are sitting at the table with you. Then when they were a bit bigger they sat in a booster seat on a normal chair. This has worked very well for us actually, both starting sitting happily through a meal very early on.