Dropping food off the high chair...?

Question

What is the most effective discipline method you have used to teach your toddler (13 months old) to stop dropping food off the high chair?

This sounds really bad...
When he did it tonight I took his tray away and took him out of his high chair and put him down. He cried and had a fit for me to pick him up. So...I showed him all the food on the floor and told him to eat it, AND HE DID!
When he was done he wanted more, so I put him back into his chair and gave him more.
Is that sad or what? I felt terrible, but he didn't seem to mind...

Answer 1

Gently explain that we don't do that. Then remove the food, end the meal and offer another activity. If he/she is still hungry, he/she will find a way to let you know. You can always offer a snack or something later if needed.

Answer 2

Believe it or not, this is a developmental milestone! It means he has reached understanding of object permanence (knowing that something still exists when it is out of sight). I know it can be frustrating after the 500th time of him dropping stuff on the ground, but you really should be happy he is smart and behaving "normally". The alure of the "dropping game" is your reaction... the more you react, the more fun the game is to him. Try telling him once to keep his food on his plate or he will be done, and then stick to it. If he continues to throw his food, remove him from the highchair and clean it up. He will throw a fit. Let him. A few times of the same response from you, and he will get the idea that if he wants to eat, he needs to keep his food on the tray. I have used this technique both at home and at preschool, and it generally takes about a week to modify behavior. The key is consistency... you have to have the same response to his behavior every time for it to be effective. In the meantime, smile, sigh, and enjoy toddlerhood!

Answer 3

My daughter just kind of stopped that on her own. Now she just dumps the whole plate on the floor when she's done. She gets a little smack on the hand and is told why what she did is wrong. She is also put in time out for one minute (one minute per year of age). Now if she goes to do it and I say no, she stops and just pushes the plate away. She's getting better at just saying she's done, too. It just takes a little time is all.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with you making your child eat it off the floor. Not something I'd recommend if you were out, but at home, no big deal. They always pick stuff up off the floor and eat it anyway!

Answer 4

I really hope the floor was clean. But basically you did the right thing. At the ripe old age of one they understand a little more than we give them credit for. He was playing a fun game and now the game is over. Maybe give him smaller amounts at a time. See if that works. My grandson does this but only when he's done eating and no one takes the food away quick enough. If he trys to hand it to you by all means take it away!

Answer 5

I used to just tell my daughter to please keep her food on the tray, it doesn't belong on the floor. It's honestly one of those things they suddenly start doing, and stop just as suddenly. My daughter went through a phase of that, occasionally throwing her food on the floor if she didn't want it, but not enough to be a huge problem. She only did it for a short time. Now, she will start to push her bowl or plate away, or pick it up to hand it to me even if I'm in the next room, so I tell her to please put it back on her tray and wait a minute for me to take it for her. Also, you might want to try to praise them for eating a meal and not throwing any food on the floor. (Thank them for keeping their food on their high chair tray.)

Answer 6

well when my 4 yrs lil girl did that at that age i wouldnt take her and i would sit there with her till it was done and if it was done after like 20 mins then i would take her out a tell no snack bc u dont eat all ur food and stop snack after lunch and supper till she eat all her food and now she nos if she dont eat it all no snack and she will have to go take a bathe and go to bed thats rules make rules for ur its never to early its better then givin em their way and it wont make u feel so bad

Answer 7

Been through it twice and sorry, but nothing helps. Just ride it out, they finally realise that the more they throw on the floor the less they get to eat.

Just enjoy the mess, it is over all too quickly!!!

Answer 8

This is what I did with my little one..........I told her she was giving the food a boo-boo every time she drooped it on the floor.......She stopped..........Normal behavior, and until the child understands, put a garbage bag under the high chair......Easy cleanup!!!!!!!!! Take care, and have fun when they are small, they grow up waaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy tooo fast!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 9

take all the food away until he stops crying. . . he is going to cry. when he stops crying then you give him the food back and leave it in front of him as long as he eats it and thats it. if he stars to throw it agian then take it away again. everytime he does it you need to tall him no so that the word stick in his mind as a "don't keep doing that" thing.

Answer 10

Sorry this answer is unrelated but you answered one of my questions asking me a couple things and I tried to contact you and it said your email was unconfirmed, feel free to IM or email me at anytime, click on my face to see the question you answered. I hope to hear from you.