Author Topic: food dropping  (Read 1221 times)

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Offline trimbler

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food dropping
« on: January 16, 2012, 21:49:12 pm »
Ok I don't know if this is for this board or Eating Solid Food so feel free to move it!

I know we've created this problem but I'd really like some ideas for getting it under control now. Ever since DS started feeding himself (whether with a spoon that we gave him with food on it, or with his fingers), he's often thrown food on the floor. At first we just thought that as he didn't really have control and was still learning, we wouldn't make a deal of it. Then we did pass through a phase where he'd just do it when he'd had enough, so we'd try to say something like 'Don't drop your food on the floor. If you've finished, give your plate to Mummy' - but that never really worked, we probably weren't consistent about it anyway... But now he's always throwing his food, cutlery, plate etc on the floor during the meal but will still eat afterwards. I'm very reluctant to just take him out of his highchair and finish the meal when he does this, because he's never been a good eater and he'd probably see this as a reward! So I'm wondering how else I can undo my AP and teach him to keep his food etc on the table or in his mouth... He's kind of learnt to do his version of the 'finished' sign - but I don't think he quite gets the meaning yet, as he'll do it and then immediately eat something else! I really don't want mealtimes to be a battle as I know I have a tendency to make them into one already, due to my concern that he actually eats enough.

Any tips? TIA :)



Offline Shiv52

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Re: food dropping
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2012, 22:26:17 pm »
When we went through that delightful stage, i started just giving one or two bites of food at a time.  Because what I found was as she was munching on something she'd throw the rest as something to do but she wasn't finished eating.  At this age your best bet is to ignore it but limit it by only having a few things on his tray.  When he is finished I would keep prompting him to sign finished rather than throw and just add it in at the end of your meals. 

HTH xx





Offline skatty

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Re: food dropping
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2012, 06:54:28 am »
What he is doing is entirely developmental and experimental from his point of view so unlike when they are a bit older nad it is a sign of being done it is pure cause and effect  :P What we did was have a big plastic sheet on the floor and gave no emotion when dd did it, just put one piece of food on her tray and gave her her drink while having our hand hover to take it as soon as she had a gulp. My dd also didn't eat much at this age, I found she was more of a grazer, maybe your DS finds having to eat "meals" a bit overwhelming and starts to play around. BTW I have read that LOs that are allowed to play with their food are less likely to be fussy eaters as they grow older, I don't know if it is true but my dd will try anything!
Katt






Offline Lemonthyme

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Re: food dropping
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2012, 08:47:39 am »
I think you've been doing the right thing.  My 20 month old still does this when he's had enough but we did the same at his age, just say "tell mummy when you're finished" or something similar. 

Have you got some stick on bowls?  I find that sometimes helps as does only giving a small amount on his plate / bowl and then topping it up half way through. 

I wouldn't worry too much, it's when it's a tantrum kind of throwing that it becomes an issue IMO and you can just deal with it when that happens.  Now he's 20 months when he does it we do clear it up and the course is finished, quite often the meal is finished too.
Here's my blog which is focussed on simple food for babies, toddlers and families http://mamacook.blogspot.com/

Offline trimbler

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Re: food dropping
« Reply #4 on: January 17, 2012, 10:02:25 am »
Ok thanks for that helpful advice everyone :) I had thought that we've just been too relaxed about it and let him do almost anything with his food except for spill his water all over the table! I guess we have been keeping all the food around him as we'll often offer him alternatives if he doesn't eat anything to begin with - he's sometimes surprised us by taking a few mouthfuls of his main course after his yoghurt, and especially loves dipping peas/sweetcorn into his yoghurt or finishing off the meal with a nice pea or two :) It's good to know it's quite usual, although I'm pretty certain it's not just experimenting with cause and effect any more as he 'got' that quite some time ago, I think he knows we don't want him to do it, but laughs when we tell him not to :/ The problem is, he has such an infectious laugh at times, that we struggle not to laugh with him and that doesn't teach him anything!