Hi all
I haven't been on this thread in a while but thought I'd pop back in to let you all know that DS is now using a spoon and fork ON HIS OWN.
Not every meal and not always successful but he's been attempting to stab with the fork for a while and I have let him have a go on his own and then assisted (hand over hand) to avoid the inevitable frustration. I've also increased loading for him when he looks like he wants to eat more from the fork than with his fingers - basically following his cues. He is now 17 months and more frequently his stabs are successful and the food gets to his mouth. It's lovely watching him. He still eats the majority of his food with his hands but more and more wants to use the fork, he doesn't like his hands being messy (he does get them very messy whilst cramming food in his mouth but once the initial hunger has abated he realises his hands are messy and gets a bit fussy about it. Mid meal hand washing is sometimes helpful).
With the spoon it is really just his morning muesli which I used to roll into balls for finger food. I now make it thick but spoonable. This way when he digs the spoon in some sticks and when he puts it towards his mouth and turns the spoon upside down it doesn't all fall off down his front. I'll gradually make it sloppier as his skill improves.
I know some BLW sceptics think that LOs don't learn to use cutlery by being given finger food, so thought this update might be useful. Use of cutlery doesn't happen on it's own of course, it's a skill that is taught and learned over time.
He also now prefers his food to be cut up smaller, rather than finger food it's become more fork-food sized. He has his own knife set at the table and occasionally I help him cut something up hand over hand but not every item and not at every meal, just enough for him to have a go at it. Sometimes I use hand over hand to help him spread his own pate on crackers too.
Buttonbobs my DS used to take 45 mins over a meal too. It really eats into the A time doesn't it? It does get quicker though. Now he is finished eating before me and I extend his table time a little with fruit whilst I finish my meal but inevitably he still finishes before I do and after a short wait I let him down from the table to avoid frustration. My plan is that as be gets a bit older and becomes verbal I'll keep him at the table longer, with conversation, so that it is a real family time together.
