How do you get a toddler to stop throwing food around?

Question

My almost 2 year old thinks it's hilarious to spill milk and other food items on himself and others. He doesn't want a sippy cup anymore and wants to use a regular cup. I try not to be alarmed when he does this but he laughs himself silly anyways. Help!

Answer 1

I agree with those who have said to take the food away and give your boy a sippy again. I also make my own 2 year old clean up after herself when she makes a mess with her meal. She likes to smear milk or applesauce or other messy things all over the table, so I give her a sponge and towel and make her clean it up. Since she doesn't like to do it and knows she'll have to clean if she makes the mess, she's making fewer of them. Kids that age aren't too young to start using good manners!

I also agree with the option of time outs. The key is consistency, consistency, consistency! If he knows you'll fold he'll just keep doing it. Make the time out fairly short, one minute for each year of age, in a place that's boring for him- like a corner or at the foot of the stairs, and ignore him during the time out.

Kids do things like this for attention, so the less of it you give him during his spills and such, the less interested he'll be in continuing with it. If he knows that he'll be punished for throwing food and he won't see anyone else making a reaction to it, eventually he'll get the hint that it's not acceptable behavior and it will stop. It might take a few weeks, especially if he's stubborn, but you must be the stronger person with this and show as little emotion as possible and continue to carry out the punishments for bad behavior if you want it to stop.

Answer 2

Toddler Throwing Food

Answer 3

He's laughing because it is a game. Just DON'T laugh with him...that will only show that it is the funny thing to do. All toddlers go through this. Just make it known that when he throws a cup or throws food that you express to him that it is not funny or nice. Take whatever is left on the table/highchair and show him you mean business. Funny is ok...and even throwing food is ok but you don't want it to get out of hand. As far as the sippy cup goes (you know what the know it all doctors say) you should let him start experiencing the use of a regular cup. Ok...now back to the real world! lol My daughter is 4 and I SOMETIMES still give her a Sippy cup. Not so much because she will experiment with throwing and pouring but because even at her age spills are an all to common incident. I would like my floors to stay the way they are! Keep giving him the Sippy...he wants the regular one so he can (as I said above) experiment with pouring and throwing. lol GOOD LUCK!

Answer 4

I would hold his cup up near my face, so that he sees in my expression that I'm serious, only fill the bottom of the cup. Tell him that he's a big boy now and that you THINK he can drink from this big cup now, but if he spills it he'll need to use the sippy cup until he's ready. If he drinks it right, praise him... see I knew you could do it, you ARE a big boy, and give him a Little more. If he spills it, replace it with a sippy cup right away (have one ready) and tell him you'll try again later. Well, you tried.. we'll try again later.
With food also small portions and if he throws it around the room, well he must not be hungry... we'll try again later.
If he throws a fit about either the food or the drink I'd explain that he knows better and until he can act like it, he wouldn't get it. Always look him in the eye when you talk to him and treat him as if he knows better (because he does... he's testing you).

Answer 5

My kid did the same thing. After he did it a couple of times I decided that he was not big enough for a regular cup yet. So I gave him a sippy cup when he wanted something to drink. Often times he would insist on a big cup. I would tell him the only way he can get a big boy cup is when he starts acting like a big boy and throwing milk or water on other people is not acting like a big boy. If he's thirsty enough he'll drink from the sippy cup. Then try in about a month a regular cup again and explain that regular cups are only for big boys and if he can't act like a big boy you'll take the cup. This worked with my son maybe it will with yours. Good luck!

Answer 6

You are the parent and he is the child. You need to take control of the situation. Apparently you have set the tone for your son, what ever he does is funny. This is no laughing matter.
Tell him the next time he throws the cup and his food, you will throw his cup and food away in the trash. Your son is 2 years old, he knows exactly what he's doing. After telling him, and he does it again. Let him see you walk over toward the trash can and toss the cup and food in the trash. After you have done that, put his behind in time out. If he's throwing this cup and food around it's obvious he isn't hungry nor wants anything to drink.
DO NOT remove the cup from the trash. Your son will continue to ask for the cup and each time he ask for the cup. Remind him the cup was thrown away because of his actions. You have to be consistent. It's never too early to teach a child responsibility and there are consequences for our actions.
If the food throwing continues with the sippy cup as well. Continue to toss food in all in the trash.You can get the cheap cups for under a $1 or so. AND continue to put him in time out and spank him. Yes I said spank! There's nothing wrong with spanking. Just as long as you are not abusing your son, and leaving visible marks on him. Also take his favorite toys away. You have to be creative and finding out what works best for your son's personality, each child is so different. There has to be some type of balance. Again...you are the parent and he's the child.
You just need to learn which way works best for getting your child to behave, especially at dinner time. I'm sure you wouldn't want to be a nice restuarant or any where and he's throwing food. Fix at now, take control or he'll be controlling you the rest of your and his life.

Answer 7

Stop encouraging him! You use the cup to give him drinks until he can be retrained,same for his food. He has recieved some gratification from you and others or he wouldn't keep doing this!!Start all over and talk to him seriously about why you can't let him do it by himself. Serious talk to a 18 mo. old means no grinning or jovial attitude. Just don't yell. Do this until you feel he is able to try dry finger foods, then messier ones. If he goes back to throwing, you go back to feeding him. The sippy cup and later the cup should be the last things that you give him because it makes bigger messes and he probably enjoys it more. I know feeding him may take time but not the time it takes to clean the highchair,baby, floor, siblings,parents, walls, and curtains. Stick to it and he will probably be trained within a week. Remember to not give in or laugh. You are teaching him to be a responsible adult with every choice you make!

Answer 8

Although you should keep your child well fed; keep his snacktime to a minimum. Keep him hungry til its time to eat. Give him very small portions even if you have to measure them. As he is understanding ; ask him if he would like more to eat. Once again very small amounts. The less he gets, the less you have to clean up. Start now offering him something to do while he eats. Show him how to use a napkin. Reward him after the meal with something special once in awhile . Have him use the sippy cup without the lid but give him something to drink when his meal is about 2/3 rds or 3/4's gone. Encouraging him on using the cup with phrases like "good boy" or "show mommy what a big boy you are". The handles on the cup help prevent spills and without the top he might think he is a big boy and act that way when encouraged.
People think that children are too young to learn . Most children learn by what examples parents give.
Do not be afraid to say no to him as this is just the beginning for him. When you say no though say it without strain,reserve, and without anger and mouth the word as you say it. He will be able to hear it completely this way.
The only example I can give on that way is from "Silence of the Lambs" when Anthony Hopkins (Hannibal Lector) said no in response to an answer.
Teach your child the best you can......not everyone blames it on the "terrible twos".

Answer 9

it is quite obvious that the child is not ready for a lidless cup... I would try him once more and then as I hand him the cup if you spill this you will go back to having a sippy cup... big boys do not spill... this is a waste of milk ...if he spills ...have the sippy cup ready as you mean business... as far as the food that he dumps on himself, I would take the food away and say to him... you must be finished eating as you are dumping the food on yourself, floor whatever, and take the food away, put it in the garbage in front of him and then say... nothing now until next meal (lunch, supper)... and no munchies in the meanwhile... when the next meal comes he should be hungry... starts throwing it around again.. do the same thing.. won't take him too long to stop this...you will find that he will start to get hungry in between the meals, but don't give in... just say you dumped your breakfast and I told you before there is nothing until lunch time now..... good luck...

Answer 10

My son stopped the sippy cup thing too, and my answer to that was to only fill up his sippy cup a little bit, (without the sippy lid) and give him a straw. It's worked really good so far. And they have water that comes in small bottles.. I saved one for him.. same thing though with a straw. Limits his pouring it all over the place. As for the table thing, when he starts doing it, tell him no and take his plate and cup away. Soon he'll put it together if he throws food, he loses it. I don't know if you believe in spats, but you could try spatting his hand. Or you could do time outs... good luck. I feel your pain... I have been through this 3 times.

Answer 11

agreeing with Pelo....
all are different
somewhere along the line this behaviour happened because child got a mixed message
although meal times should be FUN, or pleasant , toddler got wrong idea that is really play-time
hardest thing to do is to not react, , no negative or positive attention, no smiles or frowns
has to be ignored and if thirsty will drink from sippy cup,
brace yourself for tantrums
walk out of room
or if really not drinking give favourite drink in sippy cup and water in normal cup (less damage to walls, etc.)
AS said before when acts better have big cup
only give a variety of TINY portions of healthy food in bowl
(carrot, cucumber, meat, bread, egg, cheese, +whatever is on menu, try anything weird, had a friend whose daughter loved red pepper, not hot)
may eat something and if asks give more
take away if starts to throw around as before
ABOVE ALL NO JUNK OR SWEETS
AND ++++ reinforcement, when does a +++ thing
you will thank yourself for the good eating child they become
not an unhealthy embarassment at others houses
and a healthy adult