Hi Moms,
My adorable 13 month old has found much joy in dangling his hand, full of food, over the edge of his highchair tray and dropping it on the floor!
He does very well feeding himself (and actually wants little help from Mommy or Daddy!) and is an overall good eater. He has just developed this messy habit :)
We have tried the usual: telling him "no", moving his arms back onto the tray, blocking his arms with ours so he can't get them over the edge, etc. But nothing seems to be working!
I'm hoping this is just a stage... but in the meantime, any tricks you have learned to curbing this messy behavior?
Thanks so much!
He's old enough to make him learn that this is not acceptable and to take away his food when he throws it on the floor. He must be full. If he hasn't finished, give him some a little later. It's harder but he'll learn that no, means no food when he throws it on the floor. Good luck!!
My grandson does the same thing. He is 15 months old. It usually means that he's done. We take his plate away from him when he starts to throw food on the floor. If he's not done, he'll fuss for his food, which he'll get back--once--as long as it doesn't go back on the floor.
A total phase. My son is 27 months and just barely beginning to get over it. It's gotten a lot better but still does it sometimes. I have learned that when he starts to do it is usually when he's eaten enough and I just take the food away. But like someone else said, take it away for a minute until the child asks for it back. Then say, again, "no throwing" and give it back. It will take time, but eventually they will understand.
A.
Dear Paula,
Have you tried removing him from his highchair? If he knows that his meal is over when he throws food, then he'll get the picture that that's not acceptable. :) It sounds like you are enjoying being a mother. I could feel that in your short posting. Good luck with your little food thrower! :)
Hi Paula,
We used a very small "switch", which can be as small/light as a pencil. Every time our kids went to dump food over the side of their chair they received a slight sting on the hand and a gentle rebuke. They rarely ever saw the switch only felt the sting along with the no. They didn't know where it came from but knew they did not enjoy the discomfort every time an attempt was made to discard their food. It works great in other areas as well so keep that in mind. Blessings, L.
Try giving him toys and YOU doing the feeding for a while....bad habits are so easily forgotten when they are so little.....
Good Luck!
We just brought mealtime to an end when the throwing started. They only choose to go hungry once. Worked twice for us. GL!
It is totally a phase, both of mine did it. My Pediatrician said that if they are playing with the food, they are not hungry. Take it all away, get him down and tell him when he wants to eat you will give him some more.
Let it be that easy. If he gets a reaction like "no" it becomes a game, it is a lot of fun for them to play with their food.
With mine, removing them and taking the food away and trying later was the trick. Took a few times then they figured it out if they played they didn't get to eat it.
It is a phase! :) Messy is part of the fun for them and sometimes we just have to suck it up, kids are messy!
its a stage and yes a very messy one. I used to remove my childs plate and food when he would do this. I would attempt to give it back after a few minutes if he still acted hungry but if he threw it right back on the floor meal time was over.
"No throw!", in a nice firm voice.
When he does it again, take his tray of food away and say it clearly again. Wait a couple of minutes, and then offer him one small thing back at a time. If it goes on the floor, then, he's probably not starving and the meal should probably be over.
It's a phase- but an annoying one! My 20 month old is still doing it sometimes, but he really looks at me hard to decide if that's what he wants to do, because he knows he'll lose his tray at that point. Sometimes, he even puts his food/milk cup back on his tray or the table when he's done! Amazing! It takes awhile to train them.
My 15 month-old does the same thing, in fact he tosses his food on the floor, then looks at me, wags his finger and says "no, no." I started showing him months ago that I wanted his food to stay on his tray or in his mouth. I would tap his tray and then touch his lips as I said this to show him. Now he also throws the food then points to his tray and touches his lips. Kids! :)
Anyway, when he throws food now, mealtime is over. Anything else just seems to be a game for him, but this does seem to work, if for no other reason than he has nothing to throw. When he starts throwing food, I take his tray, get him out of the chair, wash him up and we move on to something else. If he's hungry again later, I offer whatever is left that he didn't chuck onto the floor.
Good luck!
