cutlery questions?

[kels]

my son is 16 months and doesnt seem to want to eat with spoon,folk. how do i implement this? i think its alot to do with no being a massive foody anyway as even in high chair with finger foods he throws alot and seems agitated. im not sure how to do this,should i give spoon with every meal? or just let him have all meals as finger foods including dinner? he can eat finger foods, but is funnjy with certain textures-wont hold or pick up and pulls a funny face!

[Seona1973]

I'd give cutlery at every meal and see if you can eat some meals at the same time so he can see you using cutlery too.  My 2 lo's got on best with a fork to start with and like to 'stab' their food with it. I use metal pronged forks with plastic handles from the supermarket, Boots, etc.  Even at age 6, dd sometimes resorts to her finger (but gets a row for it!)

[kels]

i don think he will even eat dinner with fingers , turns his nose up at everything. unless i feed him, he may eat a bit himself then throw food/bowl get fed up.

[Nauvoo]

My Lo is 16 months as well and eats a lot with utensils.  We encouraged her by stabbing the food for her and putting the fork in her hand.  She loved this and gets on good now.

[~*Nicole*~]

My poor DD is still not very proficient with utensils. She wants to be and tries but gives up and uses her hands. She doesn't really enjoy coloring or other fine motor skills much either. Just keep offering and demonstrating. She can use a fork better as has trouble "scooping" with a spoon.

[kels]

god my son cant do any of this!

[Nauvoo]

Don't fret about what he can't do.  He'll get it in good time.  Motor skills just take encouragement.  My DD has always been much farther ahead of her playmates when it comes to motor skills.  When she first started using a spoon it was everywhere.  But she showed interest from the start so that's why we are where we're at.  I'd keep giving your LO utensils with every meal that one can be used for.

[~*Nicole*~]

Hey, aside from ribs, chicken wings, tacos, chips, carrot sticks, french fries, and other assorted finger foods.....he WILL use utensils to eat when he grows up.....it doesn't matter if he started at 16 months or 4 years.

[kels]

i no, but i think its cos he doesnt seem to like feeding himself at best of time, in highcahir he gets fed up very quickly! and he is fussy with textures and throws alot of things.

[Tweakster]

Being fussy about things and throwing is just normal toddler behaviour I'm afraid :-D  It takes repetition and consistency.  Finn still eats with his fingers most food, but occasionally DH does help him with the forking, and he likes it because we all get excited about it.  They need encouragement.  And of course modeling.

[~*Nicole*~]

Did he used to eat more foods and then recently started the throwng and not eating much? If so, it's normal, just keep offering, trying, exposing, teaching.

If on the other hand, he's never eaten a lot of foods and has turned up his nose about textures, etc. You might want to see what it is about certain foods he doesn't like and slowly working on trying new textures, etc.