Author Topic: Throwing food to the floor (Read 4315 times)

*Kara* · « **on:** December 10, 2011, 22:07:19 pm »

My 13 month old seems to think this activity is a fantastic way to clear off her tray at almost every meal! It's driving me bonkers - she will eat a few bites of whatever I have offered, the starts the game of "let's toss it to the floor!" She will toss something down and look at me with a big grin - so proud of herself

Please tell me that this phase will end soon!

ZacsMumme · « **Reply #1 on:** December 11, 2011, 01:19:35 am »

Ummm I can say it is a phase and I understand...but as of ending soon....grrr I'm still waiting!

~inbalance~ · « **Reply #2 on:** December 11, 2011, 01:24:52 am »

Does she sit in a high chair with a tray? We had this problem and it drove me absolutely nuts. I had a thread a little while ago too. Anyways, we took the tray off his booster and put him at the table with us, and voila, no more throwing! He just wanted to be included, kwim? Plus I think it seemed more tempting to toss it off of the tray. Some ladies suggested that if it's a real problem, then you have to take the food away right away once it gets thrown so they learn. Luckily we never had to resort to that as sitting at the table with us was all F really wanted.

*Kara* · « **Reply #3 on:** December 11, 2011, 05:06:29 am »

She is in a booster at the table with a tray... I did try without the tray - still chucks it LOL! Cheeky monkey

Texomamama · « **Reply #4 on:** December 11, 2011, 13:46:38 pm »

Is she throwing it down to a dog or cat? My 15 mo does this a lot and usually she is attempting to feed one of the dogs (who, of course, are right there anxiously waiting). Now, I lock the dogs in another room while I feed her.

The other day I came back to see her happily sitting there, no more pieces of PB&J sandwich on her plate and thought "see, this does work"......then I stepped in something squishy and found most of her sandwich on the floor.

I am about to move her to the table with us. If that doesn't work, then she will just learn the hard way that if she throws it on the floor, she gets no more.

Mashi · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2011, 14:22:35 pm »

One thing that helped me through the phase was when I read how everything at this age is a science experiement. OK, so I throw peas and they roll away, cool lets's try it when I through oatmeal! Nope, oatmeal didn't roll, hmmm, are you sure, let's try it again! Nope, still no roll. Maybe I should check those peas, yep they rolled! Wonder what happens if I throw it at the cieling instead, does it roll, noooope, falls down! etc etc etc.

Does not help with what to do about it though, I know, but it helps with keeping your calm! Babies throwing food is babies doing what they are programmed to do, iyswim! Giving LO lots of time to play these types of things with other materials, opportunties to test out what happens with different things when we throw them (from up high and down low!) and so on. With my DS at that age, I let the meal continue but ignored that he had thrown it and did not replace what he had thrown. when he was done and I got him down I made him help me to clean up. As he got older I changed the approach, but at 13 months I didn't make too much of an issue of it with him.

ZacsMumme · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2011, 18:23:23 pm »

Quote from: Texomamama on December 12, 2011, 01:46:38 am

I am about to move her to the table with us. If that doesn't work, then she will just learn the hard way that if she throws it on the floor, she gets no more.

I find when Zac isn't really hungry he does this over and over, if he is hungry he does it with a bit of food. I try to only pick it up once or twice before to throw away before I say next time you throw it I will take it away as I know now that if he is throwing over and over he doesn't really want it anyway.

HE is a sneaky monkey though as he will never throw his toast away....

*Kara* · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2011, 20:32:47 pm »

I do try not to make a big deal out of it cause I know she is just experimenting

We have two cats but they tend to stay in whatever room of the house she is NOT in

We had a lovely time with scrambled egg and a bit of cheese this morning

DianaG · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2011, 20:43:10 pm »

I found that absolutely no reaction of any kind was the best response. It was a game at first with LO and DH. LO got bigger and so did the mess. So I informed everyone who ate with us that we simply do not react. No smile or laughing, no 'uh oh', no sternness, no comments at all. We completely ignored it. It slowed down super quick and the habit was disolved within a month I think. He was about 16 months when we started the no reaction strategy.

Good luck!

*Kara* · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2011, 20:44:13 pm »

Thanks Diana! Will give it a go!

mjohnson33 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 13, 2011, 21:39:34 pm »

Kara, Cole does the same thing!!! He even does it with his sippy cup!! Its so aggrivating!!!! If I give him something he really wants he doesnt do it as bad but if its something he doesnt want, its on the floor!!! UGH!!! He thinks its a game, I think. He also likes to smear food on his tray.

Mama2boys · « **Reply #11 on:** December 13, 2011, 23:18:33 pm »

Quote from: ZacsMumme on December 11, 2011, 12:23:23 pm

I find when Zac isn't really hungry he does this over and over, if he is hungry he does it with a bit of food. I try to only pick it up once or twice before to throw away before I say next time you throw it I will take it away as I know now that if he is throwing over and over he doesn't really want it anyway.

HE is a sneaky monkey though as he will never throw his toast away....

same here its normally when DS2 does not like what is offered or has had enough.

*Kara* · « **Reply #12 on:** December 14, 2011, 03:22:45 am »

Glad to hear that Cole does it too! And yes, the sippy hits the floor a lot here too!

RE: not being hungry - she still does it when hungry... one bit in the mouth, one to the floor!

mjohnson33 · « **Reply #13 on:** December 14, 2011, 15:15:23 pm »

silly babies!!! They sure are getting personalities now!!! LOL

MadisonC · « **Reply #14 on:** December 15, 2011, 23:20:56 pm »

DS used to do this too and I just took it as he was no longer hungry so I wouldnt over react I would just take him out of his chair and now instead of throwing his food when he is finished he tries to say "done" or something like that. However, we are still working on not throwing the sippy and just setting it down gently when he is finished with it.. lol still have some work to do tho!

creations · « **Reply #15 on:** December 29, 2011, 20:22:58 pm »

We rarely get food on the floor any more. He does still try it on a little but as soon as he makes a move to drop food I ask if he is finished and hold his plate so he can 'clean up' onto it. His food starts on a plate on the tray (or plate at table depending which high chair he's in) but a few bits end up off the plate onto the tray/table and he will pick these bits up and replace them back onto the plate, then his fork and spoon go on the plate too. His sippy cup he either also puts on his plate or hands to me. I thank him for helping me clear up and he then claps himself for being so good (cheeky monkey)!
I started this by bringing play time to food time, we were doing a lot of 'on' and ''in', then 'out', now 'off' ie blocks go 'on, on, on, on' to build a tower of 4. Small toys get put 'in' bigger containers, lids go 'on', potty contents goes 'in' the toilet etc etc. He totally loves that clear up at food time involves 'on'.
Try it, it might work.

*Kara* · « **Reply #16 on:** December 29, 2011, 20:30:13 pm »

Great idea Creations!!!!

creations · « **Reply #17 on:** December 29, 2011, 22:46:12 pm »

A little OT but quite cute - he understands 'on' as 'on top of' rather than 'wearing' so when I give him his socks and shoes and tell him to 'put them on' (I'm going to do it for him obviously but it's the way I chat through stuff) he carefully puts them in a pile one on top of the other on top of one foot

2 socks and 2 shoes stacked onto one foot.

Let me know if the clearing up idea works for you. You still have to be pretty vigilant about food drops but it makes it a fun way to end the meal getting them to clear up, I'm just waiting until he can carry his own plate to the sink

*Kara* · « **Reply #18 on:** December 29, 2011, 23:35:26 pm »

Will give it a shot and keep you posted!

So cute about the shoes and socks - DD does the same, balances everything "on" her feet!

julesdq · « **Reply #19 on:** January 08, 2012, 23:04:40 pm »

My LO would throw her cup and food on the floor as soon as she didn't want it anymore. It drove me CRAZY!!!
Now I put an extra bowl on her tray and she puts all the unwanted food in there and says 'ta' when she's done that. Sometimes she throws things on the floor so when she's finished eating I say it's time to tidy up the mess on the floor and we pick up the food and put it in that same bowl and she takes a wet wipe and wipes the floor. She really enjoys this but at least she's sort of learning to tidy up after herself. It took a weeks for her to learn this but i find it much easier than before.
Hope you find a way to reduce it :-)

anna* · « **Reply #20 on:** January 08, 2012, 23:13:19 pm »

I used to put only tiny bits on Stan's plate or tray - just like 3 mouthfuls - and then top up when those bits were eaten. Seemed to help keep him focussed on eating rather than throwing!

We Three · « **Reply #21 on:** January 08, 2012, 23:34:51 pm »

That's what worked for me too....only two or maybe three things on the tray at once.

*Kara* · « **Reply #22 on:** January 09, 2012, 04:07:51 am »

I think it was a really short phase! She hasn't really been doing it anymore... I did start to ask her to put things on the "big people table" that she doesn't want... If I see her think about tossing something I grab the rest of the same item off of her tray and put it on the table... then I ask her to do the same with the bit in her hand - she generally does it and then moves on with eating again! YAY!

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Author Topic: Throwing food to the floor (Read 4315 times)